Forever and Always:  For Eternity
by Michelle Heath
Summary: Story # 6 in the Salvation series.  The honour of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.  Sam/Steve, Caroline/Danny, Kono/Tony, Lana/Chin, Libby/Mike
1. Chapter 1

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 27, 2011**

**A/N: Here is story #6 in the "Salvation" series, and mini-story #2 in the "Forever and Always" sub-series. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing and sending me private messages for my previous stories; I LOVE hearing from my readers, and your words mean the world to me! I hope you enjoy this story and look forward to hearing from all of you very soon! Michelle**

(Det. Chin Ho Kelly, looking extremely glum, walks into the Hawaii Five-0 offices and spots his three co-workers standing in front of or leaning on the smart table. Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett, head of the Five-0 task force, has a huge grin on his face as he leans against the edge of the table with his arms and ankles crossed and listens to something Kono is saying. Chin's cousin, Off. Kono Montgomery, is smiling and gesturing in an exaggerated manner as she is talking and her face is glowing; a result of being six months' pregnant with her first child. Det. Danny Williams is standing to Kono's right with his arms crossed over his chest, and he, too, is grinning. Sighing heavily, Chin schools his features into a more amicable expression and joins the group.)

"Hey, what's so funny?"

"I was just telling Steve and Danny about Tony trying to put the baby bed together last night. I laughed until I had tears running down my face! I mean, here's this big, bad Navy SEAL who can diffuse twenty-seven different kinds of bombs in less than thirty seconds and it took him four and-a-half hours to put together a baby bed!"

"Hey, those things can be tricky!"

"Danny, it's a _baby bed_. How hard can it be to put a _baby bed_ together?"

"A lot harder than you think, Steven."

"Oh, God, I hope not! He's supposed to put the changing table together tonight. At the rate he's going, the baby will be graduating from college before the nursery's ready!"

(And everyone except Chin laughs again. Kono and Danny head off to her office with Danny telling her about his experience with putting together Grace's baby furniture, but Steve notices that Chin's mood is a little down.)

"Hey, what's up?"

"I'm good."

"No, you're not. What's up?"

"Steve, really, I'm good."

"Chin, you're not good. What?"

"You know that we've been slowly moving some things from her apartment to my house so that all we'll have to move once we get married is the heavy stuff, so I was boxing up books and pictures last night. Lana had to work late. One of the other nurses called in sick and, instead of getting off at six, she didn't get off work until after nine-thirty and it was nearly ten by the time she got home. She'd apparently had a bad day at work and then had to work late, and when she got home, she got really mad because. . . . I'm not really sure why she got mad. One minute she was fine and the next she almost bit my head off."

"She was probably exhausted, Chin. I mean, the woman's a nurse in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit. She sees a lot of intense stuff and she had to work a fifteen and-a-half hour shift."

"And I appreciate that. I could see how tired she was when she walked in the door, so I asked her if she wanted me to fix her some dinner. She just glared at me and stomped down the hall to the bedroom. So I followed her and asked if something was wrong, and, man, she let me have it." 

"What'd she say?"

"What didn't she say? She was mad because she had to work late, she was mad because I had taken some pictures off the wall in her bedroom so I could pack them, she was mad because. . . She was just mad. So I told her I'd sleep at my place so she could get some rest because I was pretty mad myself by that point, and I left."

"It's probably just pre-wedding jitters, Chin. I mean, she'd had a long, stressful day, she's got a lot going on with the wedding, she was tired; I'm sure she wasn't really mad at you. But, Chin, after you're married, you can't go back to your place when you get mad at her because your place and her place are going to be the _same_ place."

"I realize that, Steve. That's why I thinking that maybe we should slow down a little."

"Slow down?"

"Yeah, push the wedding back."

"Chin, you're getting married in less than two weeks. The invitations have gone out, Brah. You can't push the wedding back."

"Sure I can."

(But before Steve can say anything, his cellular phone rings and caller I.D. indicates the Governor is calling. Chin, a resolute expression on his face, slaps Steve on the upper arm and heads out of the office. Steve is torn between answering the call from the Governor or following Chin, but his years of military training and experience win out and he answers the call.

While talking to Steve, Chin was suddenly hit with a sense of unease and he realized that his anxiety level was fairly high. As soon as Steve mentioned that Lana might be stressed over the wedding, it clicked. Especially after Steve reminded him that, after they're married, there really won't be anywhere to go when they have a fight. The walls are starting to close in and Chin doesn't like it one bit. Striding out to the parking lot, he gets on his motorcycle and heads toward the hospital. He needs to talk with Lana and it can't wait until she gets off work.)


	2. Chapter 2

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 27, 2011**

(By the time Steve gets off the phone with the Governor, Chin is already gone and Steve is worried. He's also slightly ticked off; the conversation with the Governor wasn't all that important and could have waited. Chin talking about putting off his wedding, however, is something that needs to be addressed immediately. Shoving his cellular phone into his pocket, Steve strides into Kono's office where she and Danny are still talking. One look at his face and they both give him their full attention.)

"We've got a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Chin. I think he's on his way to the hospital to tell Lana he wants to call off the wedding."

"What?"

"You can't be serious?"

"Oh, I'm serious, Danny. Something happened with them last night, and he's talking about calling off the wedding."

(By the time Chin reaches the hospital, he feels a little better. As he walks across the parking lot toward the building, he realizes that he doesn't feel nearly as panicked as he did at the office. By the time he gets off the elevator and walks into S.I.C.U., he actually has a smile on his face. Lana, her back to him as she is looking at a chart with another nurse, doesn't see him when he first gets there, and this gives Chin the opportunity to study her. Her silky black hair is up in a ponytail at the moment, but if falls to her waist when it is down, her eyes are narrowed in concentration as she and the other nurse are apparently trying to decipher a doctor's handwriting, her figure is as close to perfect as it gets although, at the moment, it's hidden by the scrubs she is wearing, she's an outstanding nurse who truly cares for her patients, she has a brilliant mind, and . . . She loves him. When she looks up and sees him standing at the counter, her expression changes, softens. She takes the three steps necessary to reach the counter and looks up at him contritely.)

"Hey, what are you doing here?" 

"I, uh, I wanted to apologize for walking out like I did last night."

"Chin, no, I'm the one who needs to apologize. I took the bad mood I was in because of work yesterday out on you. I'm so sorry; it was completely my fault."

"I still shouldn't have just walked out like I did. Why don't we just say that we both messed up and . . Promise not to do it again?"

"Okay, it's a deal."

"Okay. Are you working until six?"

"Actually, I was going to call you. I'm getting off at four today. I was thinking that we could have a romantic dinner tonight at my apartment."

"Sounds good. I'll be there when I leave the office. . . Lana"

"Yeah, Chin?"

"I love you."

(As soon as he walks out of the hospital and turns his cellular phone back on, Chin finds no less than nine missed calls from Steve, Kono, and Danny. Sighing heavily, he hits the speed dial for Steve thinking that he'll be the calmest of the three. Kono always tells him exactly what she thinks, but, since she's been pregnant, she's gotten a lot more "in your face" about it, and Danny, . . Well, Danny tends to rant. Steve, on the other hand, usually approaches everything like the calm, methodical Naval officer and SEAL his is so Chin opts to call Steve. The phone only rings twice before Steve answers.)

"Chin! Where are you? What are doing, Chin? You really don't want to do this, Chin, trust me!"

(So much for calm and methodical.)

"I'm leaving the hospital, Steve. I'll be back there in ten."

"Please tell me you didn't do something stupid?"

"Depends on what you define as stupid."

"Come on, Buddy, tell me you did not tell Lana you wanted to postpone the wedding."

"No, Steve, I did not tell Lana I wanted to postpone the wedding. We're fine."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then. See you when you get back."

(Chin just smiles and shakes his head as he heads back to the office. . . Steve walks into Kono's office and shares the conversation he just had with Chin with her and Danny.)

"It's fine. Chin promised me he didn't say or do anything stupid."

"Good, but why is he even thinking about postponing the wedding. This isn't like him at all."

"No, Kono, it's not. Maybe he's just having last minute jitters."

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine. He probably needs to just . . . " 

"Just what, Danny?"

"It'll be fine."

(And Danny and Steve, feeling sure that everything's okay, head back to their own offices. Kono, however, has a nagging sense of unease, and, where her family is concerned, her feelings are pretty much dead on. She drums her fingers on the top of her desk for a few minutes and then picks up her phone and hits the speed dial for her husband. Tony answers on the second ring.)

"Lt. Montgomery, . . "

"Hey, you busy?"

"Not at the moment. What's up?"

"I'm worried about Chin."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Steve said he told him he was thinking about postponing the wedding."

"The wedding's less than two weeks away, K. Little late to be calling it off."

"Yeah, that's what Steve told him."

"He'll be fine. It's probably just a little case of cold feet."

"I hope that's all it is. Okay, listen. I want to have everybody over for dinner tomorrow night. We can grill out. That okay with you?"

"Of course it's okay with me, but you really want see how things are between Chin and Lana for yourself. Can't fool me, K."


	3. Chapter 3

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 28, 2011**

"What if I do, Tony? Chin's my cousin and his happiness if very important to me. Of course I want to make sure everything's okay with him and Lana!"

"It's fine, K."

"Apparently it's not fine, Tony!"

"Kono, it's fine, really. I know Chin's happiness is important to you. It's important to me, too."

"Hmph! Couldn't have proved that by me!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You may not have said so, but I can tell that you think that Chin wanting to call off his wedding is a . . a. . . A joke!"

"I never said anything of the kind!"

"You were thinking it!"

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, Tony, you were!"

(A very long pause before Tony very calmly responds.)

"Those pregnancy hormones are really kicking your six, aren't they, Babe?"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, K, admit it. The last couple of months you've been a little . . . High strung."

"'High strung'?"

"Well, yeah. You fly off the handle at the least little thing. One minute you're all sweet and cuddly, then next you're mad at the world for no reason, and after that, you're the calm, level-headed woman I married. It's gotta be the pregnancy hormones."

"Oh, so now you're going to blame _your_ cavalier attitude on our completely innocent baby!"

"My cavalier attitude? . . . I don't have a cavalier attitude, Kono, and I'm not blaming anything on our baby!"

"You most certainly are! You just said that I'm crazy and it was because of our baby!"

"Damn it, Kono, I did not say you were crazy!"

"Now you're swearing at me?"

"Oh God." (serious long-suffering sigh from Tony) "Babe, if I've said or done anything to upset you, I'm sorry. I wouldn't deliberately say or do anything to upset or hurt you for the world. I love you, K. You're my life and the mother of my child. I don't want to fight with you, Sweetheart."

"I don't want to fight with you, either, Tony. I love you very much. I'm just worried about Chin and Lana."

(And Tony hears her sniffling and thinks to himself, "Here we go again.", but very wisely keeps that thought to himself.)

"I know you are, Babe. Let's wait and see how things go tomorrow night, okay?"

"Okay."

"Hey, K, is Danny there?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I, um, I thought I might talk to him for a minute. See if he can give me any pointers on, uh, things I can do to make you feel better. I mean, he went through Rachel's pregnancy, so . . ."

"You want to talk to Danny. About how to deal with your crazy, pregnant wife."

(Kono's tone is flat and angry, and anyone walking by Tony's office at the moment would see him dragging one hand down across his face and trying his damnedest not to put his fist through the wall.)

"Never mind, Babe."

(Steve is sitting at his desk staring at his flat-screen computer monitor without really seeing what's in front of him. His wife, U.S. Navy Commander Samantha McGarrett, has been in Washington, D.C. for the pat week meeting with various members of Navy hierarchy about one thing or the other related to the base at Pearl. In her position as Commander of the Air Group, she is second-in-command of the base as a whole and, as such, is required to attend periodic meetings in D.C. Sam has been gone an entire week and Steve is about ready to climb the walls. Nothing has been right since she left. The sun is not as bright, the sky is not as blue, their house is way too empty, and he's never been lonelier in his entire life. Thank God his beautiful, sweet Sam will be home tomorrow. . .

Danny is in his office working on a report when his cellular phone rings. The caller I.D. identifies the caller as Tony Montgomery, and Danny kicks back and puts his feet up on his desk as he answers.)

"Hey, Tony, what's up?"

"Please tell me Kono's can't hear you!"

"Um, no, she can't. I'm in my office. Something wrong?"

"Swear to me you will NOT let her know who you're talking to if she comes in there, and that you will NOT tell her I called you!"

"O-kay. What's going on?"

"I need you to tell me how to get through the next three months without losing my mind or getting a divorce!"

(And Danny immediately realizes exactly what's wrong with Tony and has to struggle to keep from laughing out loud. At this point in time, it's pretty funny, but when Rachel was pregnant with Grace, Danny didn't find it funny at all. Feeling a sudden and intense pity for the other man, Danny gets his laughter under control.)

"Mood swings, crying jags, or is she totally pissed off with you all the time?"

"All of the above."

(Half and hour later, Chin has gotten back to the office and is standing just inside the door of Steve's office talking with him and Danny when Kono sticks her head in the door and gives them all a bright smile.)

"Hey, you're all invited over to our house tomorrow night for dinner."

"Sounds good, Cuz. Any special reason?"

"Well, Sam's going to be back from Washington tomorrow, and I thought we could all get together and grill out. Plus, I have an ulterior motive."

"And just what would that be, Kono?"

"You know good and well what that would be, Danny. If Tony can't get the rest of the baby furniture put together tonight, I'm hoping you guys will pitch in and help him finish it."

"Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. What time do you want us there?"

"How about around six? And bring Grace, too, Danny. What time's Sam supposed to be back, Steve?"

"Around four-thirty."

"Okay, after an entire week at the Pentagon in meetings with the Brass all day, I'm sure Sam, will be more than ready for a friendly, little get together."

"Um, Kono, Sam and I might not be there at six."

"Oh?"

"Kono, Sam's been in Washington an _entire week_."

"I believe I just said that, Danny. . . Oh! . . Well, Steve, just get there when you can."


	4. Chapter 4

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 28, 2011**

(Danny gets home to find his wife already there. Caroline Williams is a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, and she's a RIO, Radar Intercept Officer, assigned to Pearl. She's also the sister of Samantha McGarrett, and that makes Danny and Steve brothers-in-law; a fact which Danny still finds hard to believe at times. Caroline's in the kitchen frosting a cake when he walks in the door, and he immediately knows she's not in a good mood. Caroline is a wonderful cook and loves to spend time in the kitchen, but when she starts _baking_ at night, she does so to relieve stress, tension, anger, or all three. Danny walks up behind her, slides his arms around her slender waist, pulls her back against him, and kisses her on the cheek. For just a moment, Caroline closes her eyes and allows a small smile to curve her lips upward.)

"Thank you, that's just what I needed."

"Glad I could help. Have a bad day?"

"Try a bad week!"

"Thorne?"

"Who else? I swear, Danny, sometimes I think that man's sole purpose on this Earth is to torment the Air Group at Pearl."

"What'd he do this time?"

"He completely rearranged the flight schedules for the entire week and rescheduled two training exercises because he didn't want to reschedule a meeting _he_ had to attend, he totally lost it with Senior Chief Evans in front of an entire squadron because the Senior Chief left a _period_ off a sentence in a maintenance report, and he's been acting . . . I don't know. . Weird all week."

"What do you mean 'weird'?"

"Just . . . Weird, Danny. For example, I had to take a report to his office on Monday to get him to sign-off on it, and the door was locked; not just closed, _locked_. When I knocked and told him what I wanted, he said for me to slide the report under the door and he'd take care of it. Then, on Tuesday, Lt. Cmdr. Radner was supposed to meet with Thorne to discuss the changes in the flight schedule, but Thorne wasn't in his office. Radner went looking for him and found him behind one of the hangars talking to someone on his cellular phone. As soon as he saw Radner, Thorne ended the call. Radner said Thorne looked guilty as Hell about something. Today, Adm. Henderson left the base at 1300 to fly to San Diego N.A.S. for a two-day conference he's attending. Thorne made a big show of making sure everyone knew that, with both Adm. Henderson and Sam TDY, he, as acting CAG until Sam gets back tomorrow, was in charge of the base and anyone who screwed up would answer to him."

"The guy's a moron, Caroline, and everybody knows it."

"Still, I, and everyone else, will be damned glad when Sam gets back tomorrow. Thorne's up to something, Danny."

"Hey, when is Thorne _not_ up to something? How about we forget all about Joel Thorne for a while and concentrate on each other?"

"That's the best idea I've heard all week, Romeo."

(The next day is filled with lots of sunshine and blue skies and Steve spends most of the morning tidying up around the house. Sam will be home in just a few more hours and he wants to make sure everything is perfect at their house. Looking around, he decides that everything is ready, and heads out to the store to pick up a few things including a present for Sam. Finally, it's time to leave for the base to pick her up and Steve has a silly, little grin on his face the entire way there. Steve is standing on the tarmac talking with Sam's Executive Officer, Lt. Monroe, as they wait for the C-130 carrying Sam to land. As soon as the huge doors in the tail section are opened, Sam walks down the ramp and straight into her husband's arms; protocol be damned. After a quick hug, however, Sam's all business, and, understanding completely, Steve grabs her bag and carries it to his truck as she speaks briefly with Lt. Monroe. Once they're on the way home, Steve reaches out and takes Sam's hand in his and holds it all the way to their house. Their conversation consists mainly of discussing Sam's trip to D.C. and the fact that they've been invited to the Montgomery's for dinner that evening. As soon as they're inside their front door, Steve tells Sam to close her eyes; he has a surprise for her. Puzzled, she does as he asked and is very curious when he places something in her hands. She is even more astounded when he tells her to open her eyes. In addition to the huge grin on his face, she sees . . .)

"A mop. . . Wow, Steve, this is. . . A new mop."

"It's not just _any_ mop, Beautiful."

"It's not?"

"Nope. . . It's the new mop we can use to mop up any water we might splash out of our new tub onto our new floor in our new bathroom."

(And just like that, she _knows._ A huge grin spreading across her face, Sam literally flies up the stairs and into their bedroom and skids to a halt in the doorway with Steve right behind her. Amazement floods through Sam as she takes a look around. In the week that she's been gone, Steve has had their bedroom and bath completely remodeled into a stunning master suite. Knocking out a few walls in some places and erecting new ones in others has doubled the size of their bedroom to include a new sitting area complete with a new loveseat and matching recliners, the single walk-in closet they did have has now also doubled in size, and the master bathroom is now enormous. One end contains a huge walk in, glass shower, the other is dominated by a jetted, garden tub large enough to hold both of them comfortably with room to spare, and the middle of the bathroom has an enclosed potty on one side and twin, deep-capacity sinks separated by a long, wide vanity with mirrors running the entire length of the vanity and up both sides of the cut-out section of wall on the other. The paint, wallpaper borders, tile, lights, and fixtures in both the bedroom and bath are ones that Sam had expressed a particular liking for, and there are even new towel sets, bedroom linens, and drapes to match the décor. Tears pooling in her emerald green eyes, Sam throws her arms around Steve's neck and kisses him, hard and fast.)

"I can't believe you managed to get all this done in one week!"

"It wasn't that hard; you had already picked out everything you wanted. Besides, you do what you have to do when you want something badly enough, Sam."

"Do you know how much I love you, Steve?"

"Yeah, Sam, I've got a pretty good idea."


	5. Chapter 5

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 29, 2011**

(Caroline, Danny, and Grace arrive at Kono's and Tony's house shortly after six and find that Caroline's and Sam's parents, Libby and Mike Thrasher are already there. Grace hasn't seen her grandparents in several days and she squeals in delight as she hugs first Libby and then Mike. She plops herself down between them on the outdoor sofa on the Montgomery's deck and grins happily. Kono, looking absolutely adorable in a lilac-colored, sleeveless maternity dress and white, flat sandals, smiles at the sight of Gracie's sweet little face beaming from her seat between her grandparents. Rubbing her baby bump, Kono longs for the day when her own child will be born and she can hold him or her in her arms.)

"Chin called. Lana's not getting off until seven, so they probably won't be here until seven-thirty or eight. I'm not exactly sure when Sam and Steve will get here; _if_ they get here."

"Well, dear, Sam _has_ been gone for a week, you know. "

"Yes, Libby, I'm sure she and Steve and some things to catch up on."

"Never heard it called _that_ before."

"Mike!"

"Sorry, Libby. How are you feeling, Kono, you look beautiful."

"Thank you, Mike, and I'm feeling great. In fact, I think pregnancy really agrees with me; I haven't felt this relaxed in. . Well, I can't remember when."

(Tony, who was in the process of taking a sip of beer as Kono was speaking, nearly chokes. Danny, trying very hard not to laugh, helpfully slaps Tony on the back while Kono gives both of them a strange look.)

"Are you all right, Tony?'

"Fine, K. Anybody need anything?"

(Sam and Steve arrive about half and hour later and, after greetings are exchanged, the topic of conversation turns, once again, to the baby.)

"So do you know what you're having yet, Kono?"

"She's having a _baby_, Uncle Steve."

"Yeah, Steve, she's having a _baby_."

"Shut up, Danny. . . You're absolutely right, Gracie, Kono is having a baby. I meant to ask if she knew if she was having a boy or a girl."

"Oh. Do you know, Kono?"

"Not yet, Grace, but I'm having another ultrasound next week. Maybe we'll know after that."

"Have you two started talking about names, yet?"

"Actually, we have, Caroline. There are several we both like for boys and girls, but we haven't really gotten serious about it, yet."

"You'd better get serious about it, Kono. That baby's going to be here before you know it, and I'm sure he or she would like to be called something other than 'Baby Montgomery'."

"Leave them alone, Danny, they'll decide on a name before the baby gets here."

"I'm just saying. . . "

(At that moment, Kono gets a surprised look on her face and grabs her tummy. A grin spreads across her face as she calls Grace, takes the little girl's hand, and places it on her stomach. In moments, a look of wonder spreads over Grace's face.)

"Is, . Is that your baby, Kono?"

"It is, Grace."

"Wow, this is so cool!"

(And for the next few minutes, Grace Williams is thoroughly entertained by the baby kicking and moving around in its' mother's tummy. When the baby finally settles down, Grace is, naturally, full of questions.)

"Does it do that a lot, Kono?"

"Not all the time, but, yeah, the baby's active quite a few hours every day."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, Sweetie, it doesn't hurt at all. In fact, it's really pretty amazing."

"I think it's a boy."

"Why do you say that, Gracie?"

"Well, gee, Tony, the baby kicks like a boy."

"Hey, Nugget, Kono kicks like a boy, too."

"Well, yeah, Aunt Sam, she does, but, . . I just think the baby's a boy. Mom, when are you and Danno gonna have a baby? And you and Aunt Sam, too, Uncle Steve!"

(Grace, bless her sweet heart, has no idea that she has just hit a sore spot. After all, she doesn't know that Sam miscarried months ago or that she and Steve are still a little raw emotionally. Before Steve can respond, Sam just reaches out and pulls Grace's little body to hers and gives her niece a quick, tight hug.)

"The Navy doesn't let ladies who are going to have babies fly fighter jets, Nugget, so, when Uncle Steve and I do have a baby, I'll be grounded for a while."

"But you love to fly, Aunt Sam!"

"Yes, I do, and that's one reason why Uncle Steve and I are going to wait a little longer before we try to have a baby. Plus, since Kono can't go surfing right now, who's going to continue your lessons?"

"Okay. You can wait"

"Thank you, Gracie. Hey, guess what?"

"What?"

"While I was gone to Washington, Uncle Steve remodeled our bedroom and bathroom."

"Really?"

"Really. Our tub's so big you can almost swim in it."

"Cool! Can I come over and see it?"

"Sure you can, Gracie, but your Aunt Sam's a little tired after being in Washington all week, so it'll have to wait a day or two, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Steve. Can we go see the baby's room now, Kono?"

"Of course, we can, Grace. Tony finally finished putting together all the baby furniture, so the nursery's ready."

(Grace takes Kono's hand and the two of them, along with Libby head into the house with Sam and Caroline not far behind. A smirk on her beautiful face, Caroline eyes her sister speculatively.)

"Steve surprises you with a totally remodeled master suite and a tub that's almost big enough to swim in and the two of you are here because . . .?"

"Building the anticipation."

"Ah."


	6. Chapter 6

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 29, 2011**

(Once the ladies have disappeared into the house, Tony seems to relax a good bit. Danny knows perfectly well what's going on with Tony and Mike has a pretty good idea. Steve, on the other hand, has absolutely no clue.)

"What's wrong with you, Tony? You look like you're about to jump out of your skin."

"He's dealing with a crazed tango."

"'Crazed tango', Danny?"

'For God's sake, don't let her hear that, Danny! Have you lost your mind?"

"Hey, don't worry about it. I said it, you didn't" 

"You don't have to live with her!"

"Come on, Tony, it's not that bad."

"Says the man who _doesn't_ have to live with her!"

"It'll all be over in just a few more months, Son."

"God, I hope so, Admiral!"

"Would one of you please tell me what you're talking about?"

"We're talking about that fact that my wife has turned into a . . a .'

"An expectant mother, Son. That's the phrase you're searching for."

(Inside the house, Grace is "inspecting" every, single thing in the nursery which Kono and Tony have done in an underwater motif that depicts baby dolphins, baby sharks, baby fish of all varieties, and, of course, baby seals. Once she has taken a good look around, Grace smiles her approval and announces that she's going back outside to hang out with the guys. Sam, Caroline, Kono, and Libby, however, stop in the kitchen for a little "girl talk".)

"Okay, I'm dying to know. Exactly what did Steve do? I mean, a bathtub big enough to swim in?"

"Well, it's not quite that big, Kono, but it is huge. We had been looking at some different floor plans and fixtures, and, well, he apparently set this up with the contractor we had been working with, and they came in and did it while I was in Washington. It's beautiful, it's exactly what we'd talked about doing, and, I know you guys are going to laugh, but, oh my God, it was such a romantic thing for him to do!"

"I'm not going to laugh, Sam. I happen to agree with you. I know you and Steve had been talking about remodeling for a few months, but for him to have it all done while you were out of town . . . Steve is amazing!"

"Yeah, Kono, he is. Totally amazing."

"What got you guys interested in remodeling anyway, Sam?"

"Um, Well . . ."

"Uh oh, this is going to be good. Come on, Sam, give."

"Fine. Steve and I like to take showers together, and I mentioned something about wanting to take long, hot baths with him, and, well, now we can."

(There is much giggling and high fiving going on among the three younger women, but Libby, a thoughtful expression on her face, stuns them all with her comment as she walks back outside to join the guys.)

"Sam, dear, I want the name of that contractor before you leave tonight."

(And_ that_ comment sends Sam, Caroline, and Kono all three into a fit of giggles that is still with them when they follow Libby outside to join their guys. Libby, who was doing a remarkable job of keeping a straight face up until that point, loses her composure when the three younger women walk out onto the deck still laughing. Steve, Danny, Tony, and Mike all look completely baffled as they look at the ladies acting like teenage girls, and Mike decides to get to the bottom of the issue.)

"Would you ladies like to share?"

(And off they all four go again. Not a single one of them can seem to stop laughing long enough to string more than a sentence or two together, but Sam and Caroline do their best; gasping for breath between giggles.)

"Well, Dad, you might. . not think it's. . . all that funny,"

"But you will. . . like it. . Trust me."

"Libby, what on Earth are the girls talking about?"

"Oh, just a little remodeling I'm thinking about doing at the house, dear."

(And that sends the women of into another serious round of giggling. Steve puts two and two together, and a broad grin spreads across his handsome face as he realizes that Sam has shared the true reason for the remodel on their bathroom. Danny, Tony, and poor Mike all look utterly confused, but no further explanation is forthcoming. Lana and Chin happen to arrive at that moment, and it isn't long before dinner is ready. Lana and Chin are both laughing and talking with everyone, but there's something that's not quite right with them.

The only time that either of them seems to be completely at ease is when they are interacting with Grace, and, God bless her, she keeps everyone entertained all evening. Sam and Steve excuse themselves shortly after dinner, and although Steve tells Grace that Sam is tired from her trip, she is the only one who believes a word of it. But Grace has them all wrapped around her little finger, although she might not quite realize it yet, and has Steve promising she can come over and spend the night with him and Sam in a few days. Just before they leave, Libby pulls Steve aside for a few minutes while Sam is saying her goodbyes. In the car on the short drive to their house, Sam's curiosity gets the better of her.)

"What'd Mom want just before we left?"

(And Steve replies with a perfectly straight face.)

"The name of the contractor I used."


	7. Chapter 7

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 30, 2011**

(Since Caroline and Lana cleaned up before they left, Kono has nothing to do but sit back and relax. Tony finishes covering the grill and locking up and finds his wife in the nursery, holding a stuffed animal as she leans on the baby bed with a thoughtful expression on her face.)

"Hey, Babe."

"Hey."

"I think you're right, K. Something's off with Lana and Chin. I mean, they didn't act any differently than they usually do, but something wasn't right. Can't put my finger on it, but it's there."

"So, I'm not a hormone-crazed terrorist after all?"

"You never were. Come on, K, are we really gonna fight right now?"

"No, we're not. Libby said something tonight that made me stop and think about some things, and, well, I have been acting kind of weird since I've been pregnant."

"Wow. What'd Libby say?"

"She said that when she was pregnant with Caroline, she would cry at the drop of a hat, turn into a real witch without blinking, . . Change moods so often that she was sure Mike was going to leave her."

"Mike Thrasher would never leave Libby!"

"Of course he wouldn't! The thing is, Libby didn't realize how she was acting until a friend of hers pointed it out to her. When she asked Mike why he hadn't said anything, why he'd put up with her moodiness, he told her that, after four miscarriages, he could deal with anything as long as Libby and the baby were all right. . . I'm sorry, Tony; I truly don't realize the way I'm acting sometimes. I don't mean to be difficult, I just can't help it."

(As Kono has been talking, and Tony has really listened to and thought about what Kono is saying, he realizes that what he's been going through with Kono is nothing compared to what Mike and Libby Thrasher went through before Caroline was born. Suddenly, he feels very ashamed of himself, and walks over behind his wife to slide his arms around her so he can gently run his splayed hands over her protruding baby bump. Their child chooses that moment to become active again and kicks its Daddy's hands hard, eliciting laughter from both parents.)

"I'm the one who's sorry, K. Instead of being thankful that you and our baby are doing fine and the pregnancy is progressing with no problems, I've been complaining about things that are temporary and will only last a few months. The loss of four babies will always be with Libby and Mike. God, K, I'm ashamed of myself."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. I guess what we need to do now, is . . . "

"Is remember that we love each other very much and, that in just a couple of months, we're going to be able to hold the physical proof of our love in our arms. I promise you, K, you and our child are the most important people in the world to me. You always will be, and I'll love you forever."

(Caroline is somewhat quiet on the short drive to their house and Danny knows something is on her mind.)

"What are you thinking about so intently, Gorgeous?"

"Sam. She's doing really well with Kono's pregnancy so far, but, just for a second tonight, when we were in the nursery, there was sadness in her eyes. Kono didn't catch it, and I'm fairly certain Mom didn't, either, but I did."

"It's only natural, Caroline, I mean, although it's been months since Sam lost the baby, that's not something you get over quickly or easily. Sam will be fine."

"I know she will be; I just wish I could take the pain away. Sam's my sister, my best friend. I love her, Danny."

"I know you do, Gorgeous."

"How do you feel about dealing with mood swings, crying jags, and putting up with a crazy wife?"

"Whoa, Caroline, are you telling me that your. . . ?"

"No, Danny, I am not pregnant; yet. I was just wondering if you were up for going through another pregnancy or not."

"Absolutely! I would absolutely love to go through a pregnancy with you! I would absolutely love to have a baby with you."

"I would absolutely love to have a baby with you, too, Romeo. Okay, then, we'll see what happens."

(Although they had a wonderful time at Kono's and Tony's, and things were positive and upbeat, both Lana and Chin are quiet as they drive back to Lana's apartment. For the past several days, they have both been aware that there's something a little. . . "off" with their relationship, but neither of them can quite put their finger on what that something might be. With their wedding less than two weeks away, there's a great many last minute details to be taken care of, they're both working, and they're moving the smaller items from Lana's apartment to Chin's house. They both have a lot on their minds so the anxiety they're both experiencing could be attributed to any number of things. It is, however, strong enough that it's bothering them both so much that they feel the need to discuss it. Once they reach Lana's apartment, Lana gets them both a beer and they step out onto the small deck off her living room. For a few minutes, they simply enjoy the beauty of the night, but, not wanting to put it off any longer, Lana takes a deep breath and, turning to face Chin in the small space, brings up the topic that has made both of them very uneasy for the past week or so.)


	8. Chapter 8

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 30, 2011**

"What are we doing here, Chin?"

"We're standing on your deck enjoying a beautiful night."

"No, Chin, I mean what are we _really_ doing here? Neither of us has really been comfortable, really been happy for a couple of weeks now, and the closer we get to the wedding, the worse it gets. Don't even try to deny it because you know it's true."

"I don't know, Lana. I don't know what's wrong, but you're right. Something's . . . Changed between us, and I don't know what's happened or why."

"Then I think we need to postpone the wedding until we _do_ know; until we're sure that getting married is what we both want."

"I think you're right. It wouldn't be fair to either one of us to go through with the wedding when we both have . . Doubts."

"I want you to know something, Chin. I have never, in my entire life, felt about another man the way I feel about you. I love you and I always will, but . ."

"But you don't want to get married right now."

"No, and I don't think you do, either."

"Yeah. The Hell of it is, I have no idea why I'm feeling this way. . . I do love you, Lana; more than I ever thought I could love anyone. When I'm with you, everything is right in my world. I just . . ."

"It's all right, you don't have to try and explain it. Sometimes, . . . Sometimes we just aren't capable of putting our emotions into words."

"Do you know why _you're_ having second thoughts?"

"Yes, part of it, anyway. When you were shot, it scared the Hell out of me. There were a couple of days there when I honestly didn't know if you were going to live, and . . . And then, when Jake Anderson kidnapped me and Sam, although he didn't hurt either of us and we got out of that situation without a scratch, I realized that, well, you could get shot or someone could try to hurt me or our children to get to you at any time, and, well, . . . I'm just not sure I can live with that possibility."

"I can understand that. I may not like it, but I understand it. . . . What else?"

"I don't know. I just know that I can't live my life in a constant state of fear; I'm just not strong enough. I'm not sure I ever will be."

"So, what do we do about this?"

"I don't know. . . We're going to have to call everyone and tell them the wedding's . . . Off, for now, and, in a few months, we'll see how we both feel."

"Okay. . . . Can we hold off for a day or so? I'm going to have to tell Kono personally, and I don't want to upset her any more than I have to, and I don't want to tell her at work."

"I completely understand. Of course, we can wait a few days, but we definitely need to let everyone know soon. I already have a ton of wedding presents to return, I'll have to call the caterers, and the minister, and . . . Why don't we invite her and Tony over here for dinner tomorrow night? We can tell them together."

"All right. . . I'll start bringing back the boxes of your things I've already moved to my house, too. . . . I do love you, Lana."

"I know you do. I love you, too, I just . . . I'm just not sure I can marry you."

(Without another word, Chin leans in and kisses Lana very softly and very sweetly and walks back into her apartment and out of the door.

For a very long time, Lana stands out on her deck staring, without seeing, off into the dark night; silent tears slowly sliding down her face. She thinks back on a conversation she had with Sam a few months back when she was in protective custody because of Jake Anderson. She had expressed some of the same fears to Sam then that she has now, and Sam had told her that anything could happen to any of them at any time; that she couldn't allow her fear of Chin being injured or killed or some criminal trying to get to Chin by coming after her to keep her from living her life. At the time, everything Sam had said made perfect sense, but now. . . Now those same fears are coming back with a vengeance, and Lana can't push them away no matter how hard she tries. She loves Chin with all her heart, but she just can't control her fears. . .

Driving back to his house from Lana's apartment, Chin thinks back on their conversation on the deck and he realizes that Lana isn't the only one who has serious concerns about their marriage. He's not sure that _he _would want to go through with the wedding right now, even if she did, and he doesn't even know why. The only thing he _is_ sure of is that he's fairly certain that he's not ready to be a husband, not ready to share every aspect of his life with someone. Damn, at this point, he isn't even sure that he even knows what he's feeling. His emotions are bouncing all over the place right now, and all he wants to do is stop the damned roller coaster he's on and get off.)


	9. Chapter 9

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 30, 2011**

(Mike Thrasher studies his wife at every opportunity on the drive from the Montgomery's to their house on the beach. Since the girls' little, giggle-fest earlier, Libby has had the strangest look on her face, and Mike is determined to find out why. After all, he's a SEAL, and SEALs always make sure they have the latest intel on any given situation so that they will not be caught by surprise. The fact that his wife, both of his daughters, and Kono Montgomery know something he doesn't does not sit well with him, nor does the fact that Steve apparently has the same intel as the ladies. By the time they're arrived at their beach house, Mike is determined to find out just exactly what is going on. Following his wife up the stairs to their bedroom, Mike can't help but grin in appreciation of the view. Even after thirty-five years of marriage, Libby can make still make he heart race. Once they reach their bedroom, Libby tosses her purse on the dresser and walks to the door to the bathroom where she stops, crosses her arms, and frowns slightly. More puzzled than ever, Mike walks up behind her to peer into the bathroom and see what has put that frown on her face.)

"What are you looking at, Libby?"

"How much trouble do you think it would be to knock out a wall and enlarge the size of the bathroom?"

"Probably not much. Why do you want to enlarge the bathroom, Libby?"

"So that we can put in another tub, Mike."

"What's wrong with the tub we have now?'

"It's too small."

"Too small? I have no problem at all fitting into the tub, Libby. Are you telling me you do?"

"Of course not."

"Then why do you want to get a bigger tub?"

"So we can both fit into the tub."

"Libby, you just said you had no problem fitting into the tub and neither do I."

"At the same time, Mike!"

"Now why would . . . Libby Thrasher!"

"What? We might have a grandchild, Mike, but we're certainly not too old to take a bath together if we want to. Why do you think Sam and Steve remodeled their bathroom?"

"Libby, please tell me that the four of you did not. . . Compare notes earlier!"

(Libby is thoroughly enjoying her husband's discomfiture and has no intention of letting off the hook just yet. She simply throws him a suggestive little smile and raises one eyebrow before turning back to look into the bathroom again.)

"Libby?"

"Hmm?"

"You didn't, did you? Compare notes, I mean?"

"You do remember that you're talking about our daughters and one of the friends, right? Do you honestly think that Sam and Caroline are going to discuss their husbands' . . Prowess with their mother? Besides, I don't

believe any of those girls have any concerns in _that_ department. I know

_**I**_ certainly don't."

"Um, Libby, the bathtub we have may be too small, but the shower's not."

"You're absolutely right, Mike, it's not."

(After they get home, Danny realizes that Caroline apparently has another issue she's worrying about because she is pacing at the foot of their bed with her arms crossed in front of her and a perplexed frown on her face. Caroline's red-gold hair is flowing down her back and around her shoulders in natural, soft waves, and the lemon yellow, silk and lace nightgown she is wearing hugs her curves like a second skin. The high slit in the gown reveals a flash of long, tanned leg with her every step and Danny, who is sitting with his back propped against his pillow, is having a difficult time concentrating on anything except his extremely "hot" wife.)

"What's got you all upset now, Gorgeous?"

"Lana and Chin."

"What about them?"

"You didn't feel it?"

"I know what I'd _like_ to feel."

"I mean, they were laughing and talking like they always do, but something was going on with them tonight. They weren't . . They weren't touching."

"Well, I certainly know what I'd like to be touching right now."

"It was almost like. . Like they were just friends; not lovers, and certainly not two people who were about to get married. And there was a lot of. . . I don't' know, . . Distance between them."

"There's way too much distance between us, right now."

"Something's up."

"You got _that_ right!"

"I mean, think about it, Danny, it was just strange."

"Oh, trust me, Caroline, I _am_ thinking about it!"

"Yeah. With the wrong head."

(After what seems like hours, Lana finally goes inside and makes sure all the doors are locked before she goes to bed. Hours later, she is still lying awake and alone and wondering what happened to bring her to this point. The wind causes a branch to scrape against her bedroom window and she jumps at the sudden, unexpected sound. She misses Chin, she misses having his warm, strong arms around her as she sleeps, and she misses his smile. God, life was so simple before she met Chin Ho Kelly! She went to work, took care of her patients, volunteered with children who were cancer survivors, went out with friends from work from time to time, dated here and there . . . And she was a very lonely person. Well, maybe being lonely is far better than spending every moment worrying and wondering and waiting for the worst to happen for the rest of her life. Totally miserable and angry and confused, Lana rolls onto her side, punches her pillow, and tries to get some sleep.)


	10. Chapter 10

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER TEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 30, 2011**

**A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing my work! I cannot begin to tell you how much your kind words mean to me. I have a question: Chapter 9 posted with incorrect line-spacing in one of the paragraphs, yet, when I open the file on my computer, the spacing is correct. Have any of you run into problems of this nature? Thanks again for your input! Michelle**

(As soon as they get home from Kono's and Tony's, Sam takes a step toward the stairs, but Steve grabs her hand and pulls her into the kitchen.)

"What are you doing, Steve? I thought we were going to take a nice, hot bath?"

"We are, Sam, just give me a couple of minutes. There's a bottle of champagne in the fridge. Give me ten minutes and then bring it and some glasses upstairs, okay?"

"Okay."

(The suspense is killing her but Sam not-so-patiently waits the requested ten minutes before taking the champagne and glasses upstairs. The scent of gardenias hits her as soon as she steps through the door to their bedroom and a small gasp escapes her as she realizes that there are candles everywhere and they are providing the only light in the room. And then she spies the creamy, white gardenia petals scattered on the floor and leading to the bathroom and her heart starts to melt. Kicking off her heeled sandals, she follows the trail of petals into the bathroom and stops dead in her tracks in the doorway. This room, too, is illuminated only by the glow of white candles that are everywhere. One of her favorite CDs of love songs is playing, and Steve is sitting in their new tub with hot, steamy water bubbling all around him wearing nothing but the sexy, little grin of his that drives her crazy.

Instantly, heat shoots to Sam's feminine core and her pulse rate shoots up. Walking to the tub, she sets the champagne bottle and both flutes on one of the wide, triangular-shaped ledges that flank the tub and a slow smile curves her lips. Steve very casually opens the champagne and pours some into both glasses before leaning back, extending both his arms along the edge of the tub, settling back, and watching his very sexy wife. Sam closes her eyes and listens to the music, _feels_ the music as she ever-so-slowly reaches down, crosses her arms, grasps the bottom of her top and pulls it up and over her head just as slowly; swaying gently to the beat of the song. Dropping her top onto the floor, Sam leans over far enough to give Steve a most excellent view of her full breasts which are still confined within her pale peach lacy bra as she picks up one of the champagne flutes and takes a sip; her eyes never leaving his. Setting her glass down, Sam slowly licks the champagne from her full lips as she slowly reaches behind her, unclasps her bra, and slowly pulls it off before dropping it along side her top. Steve is not longer grinning. Instead, his eyes are filled heat, his hands are clenching into fists, and it's all he can do to stay right where he is. Sam reaches around, unzips her short skirt, and allows it to drop to the floor; gracefully stepping out of it and kicking it away. Steve has had almost as much as he can stand and he moves more quickly than Sam would have thought possible in the wet, slick tub. In one, swift movement, Steve jerks Sam into the tub with him with one strong arm while his other hand hooks into the waistband of her peach bikini underwear and yanks it down her legs and tosses it onto the floor.

Sam feels the hot, hard length of Steve's erection pressing against her and the tension inside her ratchets up another notch. Steve's done waiting. Circling Sam's slender waist with his large hands, he lifts her just enough to allow her to straddle him and then he slams her down on his straining erection. Sam's hands shoot out to grab his muscled shoulders and hang on for dear life as Steve starts driving into her; his mouth latching onto her nipple. Lifting his head for a moment, Steve is thunderstruck; Sam's head is thrown back, her golden-blonde hair falling in soft, natural waves down her back and around her shoulders and breasts, her eyes are closed, her berry-colored lips are slightly parted, her breath is coming in short gasps, and she is moaning in total abandon. God, he's never seen anything as erotic as his wife is at this moment, and it nearly sends him over the edge. Grabbing her hips in an effort to hold her still so he can regain control, Steve does his best to slow them down. Sam, however, is having none of it. Her eyes snap open and she jerks her head up so she can look down into his face. In that instant, their eyes meet and that's all it takes. Both of them go over the edge. Just like that. _Just from one look._

Sam collapses on top of Steve and his strong arms immediately go around her and hold her close to him as their heartbeats return to normal. When she's capable of moving, Sam pushes herself upright and kisses Steve lingeringly. Her reward is his beautiful smile.)

"Welcome home, Beautiful."

"Um, Steve, did you happen to bring my present upstairs? 'Cause there is some serious water on the floor."

"As a matter of fact, I did, Sam, but I'm thinking we can leave it for a little while. . . We haven't 'initiated' the new bedroom, yet."

"Oh, my God! What _are_ we waiting for?"

"That's my girl."


	11. Chapter 11

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 30, 2011**

(Steve has just made love to Sam, yet again, and their heartbeats are almost back to a normal rate when the shrill ringing of their alarm clock fills the room startling them both. Steve's masculine laughter mingles with Sam's as they both react to the jarring sound. They've been awake practically the whole night yet they both feel fully rested. Steve drops one, last kiss on Sam's mouth before rolling out of bed, pulling on a pair of shorts, and telling her he's going downstairs to make breakfast. Sam reluctantly hauls her six out of their bed and heads straight for the shower with a smile on her face. The entire time she's in the shower, then drying her hair and getting dressed, the smile remains in place. Being away from Steve for an entire week nearly killed her, but, oh my God, what a homecoming! Walking into the kitchen, Sam has to take a couple of deep breaths when she sees her husband's broad back, the muscles in his arms rippling as he goes about cooking omelets. Walking up behind him, Sam slips her arms around his waist and plants soft kisses all over his back.)

"Sam, if you keep doing that, I can guarantee you that you will not be reporting for duty this morning."

"Really, Steve?"

"Yes, really, Sam, because I will take you back to bed and keep you there until _at least_ noon."

"You know, Sailor, if it weren't for the fact that I'd be guilty of doing exactly what Joel Thorne accused me of awhile back, I'd be tempted."

"Did Caroline talk to you?"

"About what Thorne did while I was gone? Yeah, she told me. She also thinks he's up to something."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"What can I do, Steve? He hasn't actually done anything wrong? I am going to talk to Lt. Cmdr. Radner, though. He and Caroline seem to think Thorne's up to something."

"Be careful, Sam. Thorne may be an idiot, but he's not a total moron."

"I'm aware of that, Steve. To be honest, I'm about ready to ask Adm. Henderson to go ahead and put Thorne's transfer orders through."

"Maybe you should, Sam. Let him be someone else's headache for awhile."

"Steve, . . Thank you."

"For?"

"For the remodeling, for always being there for me, for not letting me run away from you. I love you, Sailor."

"You're welcome, Beautiful, and I love you, too."

(And as Sam grabs her briefcase and heads out the door, she can't resist tossing one more comment over her shoulder with a sassy, little smile.)

"And thank you for the INCREDIBLY HOT SEX!"

(Chin, who didn't sleep a wink the night before is at the office long before anyone else arrives. He's in his office signing off on reports when Steve, Danny, and Kono all walk in at about the same time and he looks like Hell. Kono starts to head for his office, but Steve puts a hand on her arm to stop her telling her to let him talk to Chin. Nodding, she and Danny head into their own offices while Steve makes a detour into Chin's. Stopping in front of his desk with his arms crossed, Steve gives the other man "the look".)

"Don't go there, Brah, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I'm not in the mood."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why didn't you get a lot of sleep last night?"

"Like I said . . ."

"You can talk to me or you can talk to Kono."

"I need to take these reports to H.P.D."

"I'll drive."

(Seeing that he's not going to avoid this conversation, Chin opts to have it with Steve knowing that his cousin will be relentless and both he and Kono will end up really pissed. Steve tells Danny and Kono where they're going and they are soon in the Camaro and headed to H.P.D. Steve doesn't say a word; just keeps casting expectant glances in Chin's direction. Chin realizes that Steve will be perfectly happy to drive around the island all day if that's what it takes, and finally gives in.)

"Lana and I have decided to postpone the wedding for awhile."

"Why?"

"I really don't know."

"Chin, this isn't a dental appointment. This is the rest of your life."

"I'm aware of that, Steve."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"It's not just me. Lana wants to postpone the wedding, too."

"Why?"

"She doesn't want to live her life in constant fear for my safety or hers."

"And she thinks a wedding ring is going to change the way she feels?"

"I don't know what she thinks anymore."

"Do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Then fix this."

"It's not that simple, Steve. I'm not sure I'd want to go through with the wedding even if Lana did."

"Chin, you just told me you love this woman. Why would you not want to marry her?"

"That's the thing, Steve, I can't tell you because I don't know myself."

"You need to figure this out, Chin, and you need to do it quickly. You're supposed to be getting married in less than two weeks."

"Yeah, don't think that's going to happen."

"Then you need to tell Kono. Now."

"She and Tony are coming over to Lana's for dinner tonight. We're telling them then."

"You do realize this is going to upset her, right?"

"Believe me, Steve, I'd do anything to avoid hurting Kono, but, this time, I just can't help it."

(Realizing that he's not getting anywhere and that Chin isn't going to volunteer any more information, Steve drops the conversation, they deliver the reports to H.P.D., and head back to the office.


	12. Chapter 12

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 31, 2011**

(Sam is in a most excellent mood when she arrives at the base. Even the thought of the paperwork that has piled up on her desk during her absence can't wipe the smile off her face. The sight of Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne waiting outside her office door, however, does the trick. The perpetual frown on the man's face seems to be even darker this morning, and Sam steels herself for the confrontation she knows is coming. Forcing a smile, Sam opens the door to her office and invites the officer inside.)

"Good morning, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to give you my written summary of the training exercises conducted in your absence."

"Thank you for being so prompt in bringing this to me, Commander. . Was there something else?"

"Yes. I would also like to submit my request to attend a seminar of the F/18 engine updates being held at Oceana in two weeks."

"I see. Well, I'll take a look at your request and let you know something by the end of the day."

"Thank you."

"Dismissed."

(Sam watches the man as he comes to attention ever so briefly before walking out of her office, and the wheels start turning in her head. Deciding the paperwork can wait, Sam walks down to the office of Lt. Cmdr. Ben Radner, who is one of her squadron commanders, for a little talk. The relieved expression on the man's face when he sees Sam speaks volumes. . .

The moment that Chin stepped into her office Kono _knew_ something was wrong. Neither he nor Steve said a word when they got back from H.P.D., but she's had a bad feeling since she first walked into the office and saw her cousin's face. )

"Lana and I were wondering if you and Tony could have dinner with us at Lana's apartment tonight."

"Shouldn't be a problem, but why don't you just tell me what's wrong now?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

"I'm your cousin, remember? I know you, Chin, and something is definitely wrong. Tell me."

"You're going to pester me about this all day, aren't you?"

"Because I love you. Tell. Me."

"Lana and I have decided to postpone the wedding; indefinitely."

"Oh my God, why?"

"It's complicated, Kono."

"Then explain it to me, Chin!"

"I can't; I don't understand it myself."

"You're postponing your wedding and you don't know why?"

"Lana and I have both been feeling uncomfortable for the past couple of weeks, and we just think we need to wait."

"For what, Chin? Do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Does she love you?"

"Yes."

"Then why, for God's sake, are you postponing your wedding?"

"Because sometimes, love is not enough."

(Walking toward Steve's office, Danny sees that Kono and Chin are arguing about something, and he can hear their raised voices although he can't quite make out what they're saying. When he see's Kono literally jump up out of her chair, and that's no easy feat given she's over six months pregnant, and tears threatening in her eyes, he strides straight into Steve's office at full steam.)

"Hey, Kono and Chin are having a major knock down, drag out and she looks like she's about to deliver that baby on the spot!"

"Damn it!"

(And both men head straight to Kono's office, walking through the door in time to see Kono lose the battle she's been fighting with her tears and then push past them as she nearly runs to the ladies' room. Chin is standing in front of her desk with his head down and his hands resting on top. Steve and Danny are both angry, but it is Danny who voices their feelings.)

"What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything to her. I just told her Lana and I aren't getting married."

"You're. . . Why not?" . .(he looks accusingly at Steve) "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Yeah, Danny, I knew. This is my fault. I told Chin he had to tell Kono."

"No, Steve, this is not your fault; it's mine. I let Kono goad me into telling her now instead of waiting until tonight when Tony was with her."

"I don't believe this! I'm going see if she's okay while the two of you finish your debate over who screwed up!"

(And Danny heads in the direction of the restroom while both Steve and Chin stare at each other with mixed expressions of anger and guilt. Chin looks away first and Steve's voice, although low, is shaking with anger.)

"You and Lana need to figure out what the Hell's wrong and fix it. The two of you aren't the only people hurting here."

(Steve turns on his heel and walks off in the direction Danny took. Chin, knowing that Steve's right, pulls himself together and walks out of the office. . .

Steve finds Danny standing outside the door to the Women's restroom talking to Kono through the door. The sound of her choked sobs just about breaks both men's hearts.)

"Come on, Kono, talk to me."

"Go away, Danny!"

"Kono, you're not doing your baby any good by getting all upset like this."

"My baby's cousin is being an ass!"

(In spite of themselves both Steve and Danny grin at that comment. And they both realize that Kono is more angry than upset, and since her emotions have been running high during her pregnancy, they're both fairly confident that both she and the baby are fine. However, neither one of them moves a muscle until Kono walks out of the bathroom and they can see for themselves that she really is okay.)


	13. Chapter 13

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: May 31, 2011**

(Kono, looking perfectly composed, walks out of the bathroom a few minutes later and finds both Steve and Danny leaning against the wall waiting for her.)

"I'm fine. The baby's fine. Chin, however, is _not_ going to be fine when I get my hands on him! Where is he, anyway?"

(Steve, Danny, and Kono look all over the HFO-0 offices but cannot locate Chin. Steve calls his cellular phone and Chin tells him he needs some time. Steve, believing that _everyone _would be better off with some time apart, tells Chin to go ahead and take the day off. Kono and Danny overhear Steve's end of the conversation and, while Danny shares Steve's look of relief, Kono is not happy. Now that she has herself under control, she really wants the chance to talk to her cousin calmly and logically. Unfortunately, she's not going to be able to do that for awhile.

After talking with Lt. Cmdr. Radner, Sam heads back to her office, but is intercepted three different times on the way. With Adm. Henderson TDY, she is in command of the base and her responsibilities are heavier than usual. By the time she does get back to her office, it's after eleven, and she feels the need for some "centering" and calls her husband."

"Hello, Beautiful"

"Hey. You busy?"

"Not at the moment. Something wrong, Sam?"

"Not yet. I talked with Lt. Cmdr. Radner. He says he's come upon Thorne several times when he abruptly ended cellular calls, and that he's not the only one. Apparently, several of the other officers have, as well; during times Thorne was supposed to be in his office for meetings with members of his squadron."

"Okay, that's unusual, but, other than calling him on the carpet for dereliction of duty, and that's a big stretch, you don't have anything."

"Yeah, Steve, I'm aware of that. Thorne was waiting for me outside of my office when I got here this morning. Said he wanted to give me his written summary of last week's training exercises and his request to attend a training seminar at Oceana in two weeks."

"You gonna let him go?"

"Hell, yes! I'd send him today if I could get away with it. Well, damn. I haven't even been back twenty-four hours and that man's already put me in a bad mood!"

"_This_ man knows how to put you in a good one."

"Yes, you do. . . Okay, I'm going to forget all about Thorne for awhile, catch up on my paperwork, and try to get out of here at a decent hour. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Caroline and I are scheduled for fittings of our dresses for Lana's and Chin's wedding right after work, so I'll be a little late getting home."

"Um, Sam, you might want to hold off on the fittings."

"Oh? How come?"

"Lana and Chin have decided to postpone their wedding."

"They did what?"

(And Steve briefly closes his eyes while the thought of "Round Two", round one having been Kono, flashes through his mind.)

"They've decided to postpone their wedding."

"Why? Postpone it for how long?"

"I don't know, and I don't know."

"Steve, they're getting married in less than _two weeks_! What's going on? Did they have a fight? Is it pre-wedding jitters? Which one of them has cold feet?"

"I don't know what's going on, Sam. I don't _think_ they had a fight, whatever it is, it's way more than jitters, and they _both_ want to postpone the wedding."

"Well, what did Chin say, Steve?"

"They've decided to postpone the wedding."

"You've already said that. What did Chin say when he told you?"

"He said, 'Lana and I have decided to postpone the wedding'."

"Does Kono know about this? What am I saying, of course, she knows. Bet you and Danny are having a delightful day."

"Actually, Chin's not here. He's taking the day off; it got a little intense here this morning."

"I'm sure it did. Has anybody talked to Lana, yet?"

"Not that I know of."

"Don't you think someone needs to, Steve? I mean, this can't be easy for her."

"I think it's their business, Sam."

"Lana's my friend, Steve, and I think I'm going to call my friend and see if she's okay. That all right with you?"

"Whoa, Sam, don't go all defensive on me; I'm just saying . . ."

"Where would we be, Steve? Where would you and I be right now if Danny and Kono and Chin hadn't of tried to figure out what was wrong between us? Where would we be if Danny hadn't of picked up the phone and _called his friend_?"

"I see your point, Beautiful."

"Okay, then. I'm going to call my friend and just let her know I'm here if she wants to talk. If she doesn't, so be it, but at least she'll know that people care about her. And just so you'll know? Lana will continue to be my friend whether she and Chin get married or not."

"I wouldn't expect otherwise, Sam."

(After ending the call with Steve, Sam calls the hospital but discovers that Lana has the day off, so she calls her cellular phone and Lana answers on the second ring.)

"Sam?"

"Hey, Lana. It's totally none of my business, and I'm not going to ask you any questions, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you if you want to talk. Anytime, day or night."

"Oh, God, Sam, what have I done?"


	14. Chapter 14

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 1, 2011**

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at my apartment."

"Do you know that little Italian restaurant that's just outside the base?"

"The one with the red, green, and white striped awnings?"

"That's the one. Meet there in . . . Thirty minutes; we'll talk. Okay?"

"Okay."

(Sam ends the call and debates on whether or not to ask her sister to go with her to meet Lana, but decides against it for the time being. Lana will tell Caroline what's going on when she's ready for her to know, and, besides, Lana just might open up to Sam a little more easily if no one else is around. Taking care of a few things that have to be handled before lunch, Sam tells Adm. Henderson's secretary she's going to lunch and heads for the restaurant. Lana has already arrived when Sam gets there and Sam is shocked when she walks to the table and sees Lana. The poor woman looks like she hasn't slept in a couple of days, her eyes are red and puffy from crying and there are dark circle beneath them, and she is pale. As soon as they have placed their orders and the server walks away from the table, tears fill Lana's eyes and slide down her face)

"I've totally screwed up, Sam! I've ruined everything!"

"Maybe you should start at the beginning, Lana. What happened?"

"I don't know. One minute we were fine and the next we were talking about putting off the wedding."

"How long's this been going on, Lana?"

"It started a couple of weeks ago. Chin and I were packing up some things to move to his house one night, and we had the television on watching the news. A story came on about some drug dealer's trial and Chin stopped what he was doing and started watching. The longer I sat there watching him, the more I started to think about his job, and the more I thought about his job, the more I started to think about what I went through when he was shot, and the more I thought about that, well, you get the idea."

"Oh, Sweetie!"

"Sam, I know we've already had this discussion, and, logically, I know that everything you said to me is true. Any of us could be injured or killed at any time. But the emotional part of me isn't listening to the rational side of me. I'm scared, Sam! I honestly don't know what I'd do if something happened to Chin; if he was suddenly gone from my life. I think I would just . . Waste away and die,"

"As would I if anything ever happened to Steve. That's why I give every, single moment we spend together everything I have in me. I choose to put every ounce of energy, all of the love in my heart into every word, every touch, every kiss because, even if we both live to be a hundred, I don't want Steve to ever think, for one split-second, that I don't love him with all my heart."

"I not as strong as you are, Sam."

"Yes, you are; you just don't realize it."

"Sam. . ."

"What attracted you to Chin in the first place?"

"What?"

"What drew you to him? Why did you even think about going out with him?"

"I watched him; at the hospital when Steve was shot before you got married. He was always looking out for you and Kono, and even Danny, but, at the same time, he was doing his job and doing it well and without drawing a lot of attention to himself. He was gentle and kind and I could tell that he really cared about all of you, that he was truly a good man. You know the kind of people I grew up with, Sam, you know what happened to me when I was fourteen, but Chin. . . He was everything good and decent that was missing from my life. I think I started to fall in love with him before he ever asked me out."

"When did you fall _out_ of love with him, Lana?''

"When did I _what_?"

"When did you fall out of love with Chin?"

"I. . . I didn't."

"You don't want to go through with the wedding because you don't want to live in fear for the rest of your life. Isn't that going to happen anyway? I mean, you just told me you were still in love with him. Do you really think that _not_ marrying Chin is going to change the way you feel about him? Sure he has a job that's a little on the risky side, but he loves what he does, Lana, and that's part of what makes him the man you fell in love with. If you walk away from him, you're never going to have any peace because you're _still_ going to love him whether the two of you are together or not."

(For several long minutes, Lana just looks at Sam with a stricken expression on her face as tears continue to slip down her face. Sam is aware that Lana is thinking over everything she just said and prays that she was able to find the right words to get through to her friend. Their lunch is delivered to their table but neither of them makes any move to eat. Lana is having a serious inner conversation with herself and Sam remains silent to allow Lana to think. Finally, Lana looks at Sam with near-desperation in her eyes and an almost pleading tone in her voice.)

"What do I do, Sam? How do I fix this?"


	15. Chapter 15

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 1, 2011**

(After she has gotten herself under control and then discovered that her cousin has left the office and Steve told him to take the rest of the day off, Kono went back to her office and called her husband. Once she has explained things to him, Tony does his best to reassure his wife that everything is going to be fine, and encourages her be patient. Once he's off the phone with her, however, he sits at his desk thinking for quite some time. Finally, he gets up and heads into his C.O.'s office. An hour later, after speaking with his C.O. and then making a phone call, Tony leaves the base and heads to a stretch of beach that, while not completely isolated, is quiet enough to have a good, long talk. Parking his car, Tony walks a little distance down the beach and sits down on the sun-warmed sand.)

"So, why don't you start at the beginning?"

"I'm not sure where the beginning is."

"This didn't just happen overnight."

"No, it didn't."

"What is it you're scared of exactly?"

"What makes you think I'm scared, Tony?" 

"You're scared, Chin; you just don't want to admit it."

"Maybe you need to explain it to me."

(Tony looks away from Chin and out toward the ocean. For a few minutes, neither man speaks, but Tony eventually shares his thoughts with Chin.)

"I always knew that I would probably settle down and get married one day, but I thought it would be . . . Well, not quite this soon. I had it all planned out; I was going to be a SEAL for as long as possible, and do my damnedest to earn every promotion I could along the way. I figured I'd wait until I was ready to leave the teams before getting serious about anyone because SEALs and marriage usually don't mix too well. When I did transfer out of the teams and into an area where I wouldn't disappear all the time for weeks on end, I'd find a really great woman, get married, have two point five kids, end up with the rank of Admiral, and live happily ever after. . . But it doesn't work that way, Chin. I mean, you can make extensive, detailed plans about everything you want to do with your life; when you're going to do it, how you're going to do it . . And it just doesn't matter. Along comes the one person you're meant to be with for the rest of your life, and all you plans are shot to Hell. But you don't mind at all because the person you've fallen in love with brings happiness and joy into your life and you soon learn that you can't live without her. So what if you like the toilet paper to feed under and she wants it to feed over, or you put knives in the dishwasher point up and she puts them in point down, or you put the milk carton on the refrigerator shelf and she puts it in the door. None of it matters, because this woman is so beautiful and smart and funny that you're willing to change your whole life just to spend _one hour_ with her. I mean, you just _know_ that your life is never going to be the same again because this woman totally and completely _rocks your world_, and you realize that you have to do whatever it takes to make her fall in love with you because you cannot live without her."

"Tony, I'm truly glad that you love my cousin, really, but what does any of this have to do with you thinking that Lana and I have decided to postpone our wedding because I'm scared?"

"Because we're all scared when we realize we've found the person we want to spend the rest of our life with. Think about it, Chin. Sam ran from Steve for years because she was scared, Danny tried to run from Caroline because, whether he wants to admit it or not, he was scared, and now, you're running from Lana because you're scared."

"Really."

"Really."

"And I suppose that neither you nor Kono was scared? Wait, of course you weren't because the two of got married so fast you didn't have time to be scared."

"Oh, you are so wrong! Do you remember me telling you and Steve and Danny that I got Kono's wedding and engagement rings the week after our first date?"

"Yeah. See? You weren't scared."

"Yeah, Chin, I was. Kono and I hadn't known each other all that long, I knew I was going to be disappearing without notice and be gone for indefinite periods of time without being able to communicate with her, and, Hell, for all I knew, even though we were dating, there could have been some guy from Kono's past she still had feelings for. There were so many 'what ifs' running through my head that I actually, and if you ever tell anyone I told you this, I'm gonna have to kill you, I actually came really, really close to throwing up. I was afraid that she didn't feel the same way about me as I did her. I've never been more scared in my life, not on any op I've ever been on, and I swear to you that I've been involved with some pretty damned frightening ops, than I was that day on the beach when I asked her to marry me."

"Okay, I can understand that, but it isn't the same thing. The situation with me and Lana is totally different."


	16. Chapter 16

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 3, 2011**

"How?"

"Well, for one thing, even though I don't drop of the face of the Earth without explanation, Lana has serious concerns about my job. She's afraid that I could be injured or killed in the line of duty, or some scumbag could come after her and any children we might have to get to me. She has a point; all those things are possible."

"She felt this way once before. If I'm not mistaken, Sam had a little talk with her, at your request, may I add, and explained that anything could happen to anyone at any time. Besides, love is not something you can turn on and off like a light switch; woman's going to worry and stress about you whether you're together or not. Try again."

"Where's your degree in Psychology from again?"

"The University of 'Been There, Done That'. Try again."

"You're one stubborn human being, you know that?''

"I'm a SEAL. SEALs _Do Not_ make nor put up with excuses. Try. Again."

(Chin stares at his cousin's husband, sitting there so calmly next to him on the beach, for a few moments thinking that he has badly underestimated Tony Montgomery. Finally, although it highly annoys him to do so, Chin "fesses up".)

"All right, fine. The closer we got to the wedding, the more uncomfortable I felt. I've been used to living by myself for a long time and, suddenly, I'm going to be living with Lana day in and day out. We're going to be sharing a house, a bathroom. . "

(Tony interrupts before Chin can say another word.)

"A bed."

"And I'm just not sure I'm ready for all that, yet."

"Are you actually going to sit there and tell me you'd _rather_ live the rest of your life alone than . . . You have _so_ lost your mind! Did you not hear what I just said? Yes, you're going to have to make a few minor changes here and there, but, damn, Chin, you actually expect me to believe that you'd rather keep the remote to the television by _your_ chair instead of on the coffee table?"

"What the Hell are you talking about now?"

"Unbelievable. Lana doesn't want to marry you because she's afraid you'll get hurt or killed. She doesn't want to marry you because you're an idiot!"

"Hey!"

"You'd really rather turn over in your sleep and hug your pillow than be able to put your arms around your warm, soft, sweet-smelling wife? You'd rather have a nice tidy counter in your bathroom than have to hunt for your razor amid your wife's brush and make-up and those rubber band thingies they put their hair up with? I mean, you honestly don't want to be able to watch Lana putting on her make-up and putting her hair up and giving you suggestive little smiles the whole time she's doing it?"

"Are you getting all 'touchy feely' on me?"

"I'm a SEAL. I don't get 'touchy feely'. Well, just with Kono, and don't try and change the subject! You don't want to help her do the dishes and have your hands 'accidentally' touch each other while you're loading the dishwasher, or go to the grocery store with her and watch her face screw up in concentration while she's trying to decide whether to get chicken or steaks?"

"You're starting to scare me, Tony."

"Chin, don't you want to be there for her when she has a bad day at work and just needs someone to hold her? Don't you want her to be there for _you_? Don't you want to be able to tell her how angry or upset or frustrated you are because you _know_ that, no matter what, _she'll always be there for you_?"

"You are so wrapped, Brah!"

"Yeah, Chin, I am, but it's because I _want_ to be. Sure, when we first got married we both had to make adjustments; get used to living with someone else, but anything I gave up was well worth it because I get to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life. And that, my friend, is way more important than which damned drawer my underwear goes in or having to look for my razor every morning because, in the end when all is said and done, none of those things are more important to me than Kono. Loving someone is not a weakness, Chin. In fact, I've learned that it takes a Hell of a lot of guts to completely open up to another person; to bear your soul and hand over your heart; to trust them not to destroy you; to literally put your life in their hands. But, when you're in love with the right person; the one you were meant for and who was meant for you, well, you don't really find it that difficult because you trust them implicitly; you trust them with your life. Think about what you're doing, Chin. Are you going to continue leading the same, loveless existence you always have, or are you going to take a chance and really live?"

(The two men sit there on the beach for a long time as Chin digests everything Tony's had to say. Tony doesn't say a word; simply sits patiently and quietly next to his wife's cousin. Eventually, Tony pats Chin on the shoulder, gives him an encouraging smile, and leaves him alone on the beach. Long after Tony has gone, Chin watches the waves breaking on the sand and lets his mind drift. Although he doesn't want to admit it, Tony's right; Chin's afraid.)


	17. Chapter 17

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 3, 2011**

(Tony stops by the Flight Ops building when he gets back to the base to see Sam. As he was driving back to the base from the beach, it occurred to him that, while talking to Chin was important, getting him and Lana back together wasn't going to happen unless Lana was also on board. A thoughtful expression on his handsome face, Tony knocks on the doorframe to Sam's office. She is sitting behind her desk working on her computer, but smiles when she looks up and sees Tony. Inviting him in, Sam directs him to one of the two chairs in front of her desk and waits until he sits down before speaking.)

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

"This is actually a person visit, Commander."

"Oh?" 

"I'm pretty sure you know what's going on with Chin and Lana, and, well, I need your help."

"I do know. How can I help?"

"Well, I just spent the last couple of hours at the beach talking with Chin and I think he might be ready to re-think postponing the wedding."

"You were at the beach with Chin? Aren't you on-duty?"

"I asked my C.O. for three hours of Personal Leave."

(Sam sends him an incredulous look; she's stunned.)

"You took three hours' Personal Leave to talk to Chin?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And you think he may not want to postpone the wedding after all?"

"Yes, Ma'am. . . Commander?"

"I'm . . . Wow. How did you manage to accomplish that, Lieutenant?"

"I got him to tell me why he was afraid to get married, and . . . "

"Hold up there, Lieutenant. Chin was _afraid_ to get married?"

"Well, yeah; sort of. He wasn't sure he could deal with actually living with someone else, although I think that was just an excuse, and I just pointed out all the advantages of being married to someone you love with all your heart, and I think he's ready to get his relationship with Lana back on track. . . Commander?"

"Sorry, I'm still trying to get my mind around the fact that you actually told Chin you thought he was _afraid_ to get married. What exactly is it you think he was he afraid of?"

"See, that's the thing. He tried to give me some song and dance about having to share a house and bathroom and deal with, um, girl stuff, and I explained why all that was actually a good thing, and . . "

"'Girl stuff', Lieutenant?"

"You know, Commander, hair brushes and make-up and hairspray, and, um, _other_ things that you ladies leave lying around on the bathroom counter or in the same drawer where we guys put our razors; girl stuff."

"Thank you for the explanation, Lieutenant. Carry on."

"Well, I just told him that I didn't mind sharing my space with Kono at all because she was way more important to me than anyone or anything in the world. But, as I said, I think he was just using that as an excuse. The real reason he wanted to put off the wedding was because he was just plain scared, and, no offense, Ma'am, but I think you, better than anyone, can understand that."

(He's got her there, and Sam suddenly gets it. Her opinion of Lt. Tony Montgomery has just gone up a couple of notches and she is very glad that Kono is married to this caring and considerate man.)

"Ah. Yes, Lieutenant, I understand completely. So, what is it you need my help with? Do you think I should talk to Chin?"

"That certainly couldn't hurt, but, actually, Commander, I was thinking that you could talk to Lana. Chin seems to think she's worried about him getting hurt or killed because of his job."

"You're a little late, Lieutenant, I've already talked to Lana. We had lunch today and I believe I was able to convince Lana that postponing their wedding wasn't going to keep her from worrying, so why do it?"

"Really? Wow, Commander, that's awesome. Guess it's up to Chin and Lana now."

"Guess it is. For the record, what you did today was amazing, Tony. I mean, you went to your C.O. and requested three hours of Personal Leave without any notice just so you could talk to Chin and try to help him through this whole mess. You really are one of the good guys."

"Confession time, Commander. I didn't do it for Chin or Lana. I did it for my wife."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that. Regardless of the reason why you did it, it was still a very considerate thing for you to do, and I'm sure Kono will appreciate your efforts."

"Um, Kono doesn't know, and I'd like to keep it between us, if you don't mind; at least, for the time being, anyway."

"We can do that. I _can_ tell Steve, can't I?"

"Sure. The Boss won't give me up."

"Of course, he won't, Tony, but why don't you want Kono to know what you did?"

"Kono's been a little . . . Moody lately."

"Say no more. It really was a sweet thing to do, Tony."

"Yeah, well, let's just hope I was able to do some good."

"Me, too."

(Tony heads back to his office and Sam returns to her work, as well, but there is a little smile playing around her mouth. What Tony did, regardless of his motivation, demonstrates what a truly caring and considerate young man he is, and Sam totally meant what she said to him; he really is one of the good guys.)


	18. Chapter 18

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 4, 2011**

(Chin walks along the beach for quite some time thinking about everything Tony said and is actually feeling a little foolish. When Tony started talking about which direction the toilet paper went, it made Chin feel silly because, and he cannot believe he allowed himself to freak out about it, this is actually one of the things that was bothering him. Hell of a reason to call off a wedding, huh? When he really stops to think about it, Lana hasn't done one, single thing wrong in their relationship. She has been nothing but honest, caring, compassionate, considerate. . . What the Hell is wrong with him? This beautiful, smart, incredibly sexy woman is in love with him and he wants to postpone the wedding? Where did the calm, logical man he's always been go? And when did he start acting like a two year-old? Okay. He needs a game plan. Time to go home and figure out how to put his engagement, no, his life back together. The problem is, although _he_ may want to work things out, there's no guarantee that Lana does. . .

After talking with Sam at lunch, Lana went back to her apartment and her heart had a long conversation with her head. A couple of hours later, she realizes what a total and complete fool she is and decides she needs to get her act together. Of course, even if she does get a grip, there's no guarantee that Chin will be receptive. He was quick to agree with her about postponing the wedding. In fact, he looked . . . Relieved. God, what if he doesn't _want_ to straighten things out between them? What if she's totally screwed things up? Several times, Lana reaches for the phone to call Chin, but she's scared that he won't be receptive to her so she pulls her hand back.

Chin calls Lana and hopes he doesn't screw up even more than he already has; Lana sees Chin's name on the caller I.D., and prays that she can find the right words.)

"Hello, Chin."

"Lana. . . I, um, I talked with Kono this morning."

"Thought you were going to wait until tonight and we were going to tell her and Tony together?"

"Yeah, that was the game plan, but, you know how persistent Kono can be sometimes."

"Yeah. . . So, she and Tony aren't coming over for dinner?"

"No, so you don't have to go to all the trouble to cook."

"I see. Thanks for letting me know."

"You're welcome. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Chin; really. There's no need for you to worry about me."

"Are you sure? 'Cause, you know, this hasn't been easy on either one of us, and I so don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have."

"I'm fine; really. How about you?"

"Good, I'm good. Look, Lana, we need to talk about this. Just you and me."

"I agree with you, Chin. We definitely need to talk, but, when we do, I want us to take our time. I want us to be completely open and honest with one another. We need to discuss every, single thing that's been bothering either one of us lately. We need to know exactly what the other person is thinking and feeling."

"You're absolutely right, Lana. I couldn't have said it any better if I'd tried. Marriage is a pretty serious thing."

"Yes, it is, Chin, and I only plan to get married once, so it's very important to me that I get it right. . . . Hang on a minute, the hospital's calling on the other line."

(Chin waits patiently while Lana takes the other call and decides that, when she comes back on the line, he's going to tell her he's coming over to her apartment so that they can sit down and have the talk that so desperately needs to take place. Tony's words from earlier come back to him and he realizes what a perfect and complete idiot he's been. A small smile starts to form on his face when Lana comes back on the line.)

"I'm sorry, Chin, but I have to go in to work. They've had a couple of people call in sick and they're short-handed in the E.R. I'm going in now and won't be off until ten when they've got another relief nurse scheduled to come in."

"Damn. All right, Lana, but, when you get off at ten, I'll be waiting for you at your apartment. We need to have this talk as soon as possible."

"I agree. I'll see you around ten-thirty. And, Chin?"

"Yeah?"

"I do love you."

"I know you do; I love you, too."

(After Tony's visit, Sam has been in a relatively good mood for the remainder of the afternoon. She's just tidying up her desk and shutting down her computer for the day when Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne appears in her doorway. Sam's more than a little irritated because she left word for Thorne to report to her office as soon as he was back from the orientation run he was flying with two of the new pilots and that was over two hours ago. None the less, she did instigate his presence in her office so she forces a smile to her face and indicates she wants the man to have a seat. He, as usual, wants to be contrary and takes his dear, sweet time in sitting down. Picking up a piece of paper from her desk, Sam slides it across her desk in his direction.)

"You wanted to see me, Commander?"

"I did, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne. To be honest, I expected to see you a couple of hours ago. Was there a problem with the orientation flight?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure I'd answered all of Lieutenant Anderson's and Lieutenant Tate's questions, Commander."

"I see. I've approved your request to attend the seminar at Oceana in two weeks, and I'm having your orders cut as we speak. I also noticed that you requested an additional seventy-two hours of Personal Leave after the seminar and I've approved that as well. "

"Thank you, Cmdr. McGarrett."

"You're welcome. Do you have family in the area, Commander Thorne?"

"No, but I do have a couple of friends from Flight School who are currently attached to the Pentagon. Thought I'd pay them a visit while I was in the area."

"Well, I hope you have a wonderful time; we all need a break every now and then."

"Thank you. Was there anything else, Commander?"

"No. You're dismissed."

(Although Thorne didn't actually say or do anything out of line, Sam cannot help but feel that he's up to something. Finding the request for the personal leave sparked Sam's interest, but she decides to let it go. Three additional days without Thorne's presence on the base will be a bonus for everyone, and Sam was only too glad to sign off on the request. Pushing all thoughts of Thorne out of her head, Sam grabs her briefcase and cover and heads out the door.)


	19. Chapter 19

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 5, 2011**

(Steve is already at their house when Sam gets home and a smile lights up her beautiful face when she sees his truck in the driveway. After finding Joel Thorne standing outside her office waiting on her first thing that morning, getting a little "testy" with Steve on the phone, having a heart-to-heart with Lana at lunch, and then having to deal with Thorne again just before leaving the base, not to mention everything she had to deal with because Adm. Henderson is TDY, Sam has not had the best of days. The only bright spot was the visit from Tony. Increasing the pace of her steps, Sam sails through the front door and into the kitchen from which tantalizing aromas are wafting throughout the house. Steve, wearing a pair of Navy-issued swim trunks and nothing else, is standing at the stove stirring a pot of something that looks suspiciously like spaghetti sauce. As soon as he heard the front door open, he grabbed a bottle of wine out of the fridge and poured a glass for Sam. He snags it from the counter beside him and hands it to his beautiful wife as she walks straight to him for a welcome home kiss. Always ready and willing to accommodate her, Steve slides his free arm around her slender waist and dips his head to give her a kiss that sends her heart racing before handing her the glass of wine.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey. You are so going to spoil me, Steve. Coming home to find dinner almost ready, a glass of my favorite wine, chilled and in my hand, and, most importantly, a seriously HOT, half-naked man in my kitchen is something I could definitely get used to every evening."

"As long as _I'm _the seriously HOT, half-naked man in your kitchen, I have no problem with that, Sam."

"Not to worry. You are the _only_ man I want in my kitchen, my house, or my bed; period, Steve. Forever and always. . . Steve, I'm so sorry I got snappy with you on the phone earlier today."

"It's okay, Sam. It Joel Thorne was the first thing I saw when I got to work it would put me in a bad mood, too."

"Still, that's no excuse for being ugly to you, and I really am sorry."

"Did you have a chance to talk with Lana?"

"I did. She met me for lunch."

"And?"

"And I think it was a combination of things. She started thinking about all the bad things that could happen to Chin or her or their kids because of his job and that made her uneasy, and then, when he started acting all weird, . . . Well, it just undermined her confidence that much more until she wasn't really sure if she wanted to get married or not."

"I can understand that. Kono wants to talk to him so badly I thought she was going to climb the walls today. She thinks that, if she can get him to open up to her, she can get to the bottom of what's making him hesitate."

"Tony beat her to it. He took three hours of Personal Leave today and met Chin at the beach; came by to see me when he got back. Says he thinks Chin was just having some 'sharing' issues and is ready to patch things up with Lana."

"Whoa. Did you just say that Tony took three hours of leave to go talk to Chin?"

"I did."

"And did you also say that, after talking to Tony, Chin's ready to get his head out of his six and kiss and make up?"

"I did."

"Damn, if that man ever decides to leave the teams I've got to get him to come to work for me. What 'sharing' issues?"

"You know, having 'girl stuff' mixed in with 'guy stuff'' in the bathroom."

"'Girl stuff' and 'guy stuff'? You know what? I don't even want to know."

"Ask Tony; he's got a definition any man can understand. I think, Steve, that Chin was suffering from a good, old-fashioned case of 'bachelor syndrome'."

"Excuse me?"

"Ask Tony. The point is, that after I talked with Lana and Tony talked with Chin, I think they're both ready to put all this silliness behind them and get things back on track."

"Good. Caroling up to speed on why you two didn't go for fittings' tonight?"

"Yep, and, of course, she reacted as you might expect, but she's going to stay out of it and see what happens; for now."

"Okay. So, other than the whole 'runaway bride and groom thing', how'd the rest of your day go? Or should I ask?"

"Yes, you may ask. Thorne requested three additional days' leave when he goes to the training seminar at Oceana to visit some of his friends in D.C., so naturally I approved it. Three less days without him around can only be a good thing for everyone concerned. And my day got even better when I walked through the door a minute ago."

"Why don't you go upstairs and put on a swimsuit? By the time you get back down here, the spaghetti will be ready and then we can go for a swim. Okay?"

"Absolutely, and then, we can go shower off all the salt water and sand and then take a nice, long soak in our new tub."

"Is _that_ what we're calling it now?"

"You can call it anything you want, Sailor, just as long as we actually do it."

"Oh, you can bet your six we're going to actually do it, Beautiful."


	20. Chapter 20

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 5, 2011**

(Kono is pleasantly surprised to find Tony already home when she gets there. Usually, she gets home before he does and his being there before her is a very welcomed event on this particular day. She finds him just stepping out of the bathroom when she walks into their bedroom; a towel wrapped around his to die for body and droplets of water still in his dark hair. Even at six and a half months pregnant, Kono's pulse rate kicks up a notch as she feasts her eyes on her handsome, sexy husband. Shooting her an adorable smile, he gives her a quick kiss as he opens a drawer and reaches for a pair of clean underwear.)

"Hey, babe, thought I'd take my beautiful wife out to dinner. You up for that?"

"Sure, but what's the occasion?"

"No special reason. Just thought we could both use an evening out with a good dinner and no dishes or cleaning up to do. I talked to Chin, K. I think he just had a bad case of nerves and he's ready to go ahead with the wedding now."

"You talked to Chin? Tony, when did you have a chance to talk with Chin? You were at the base all day."

"Um, not exactly. I took a couple of hours' leave this afternoon and met him down at the beach. We had a really good talk."

"You . . . You took leave time to talk with my cousin about why he's being an idiot?"

"Well, yeah, K, and he wasn't being an idiot; he was just a little scared."

"Chin? Scared? . . . Really?"

"Yeah, he's okay now; promise. So, where would you like to go for dinner?"

(Caroline, a thoughtful expression on her beautiful face, walks into their house to find Danny on the phone with Grace. Giving her husband a quick kiss on the cheek, she indicates she's going to change out of her uniform and heads to their bedroom. Danny ends his call and follows her, putting a hand on her arm to stop her just as she steps inside their bedroom door.)

"Why don't you put on something comfortable and I'll take you out to dinner?"

"Because?"

"Because I forgot to go to the grocery store on the way home and there's nothing here to cook for dinner."

"No problem. Give me five minutes, Romeo. Hey, you up on what's going on with Lana and Chin?"

"If knowing that Sam and Tony talked to Lana and Chin and now it's up to Lana and Chin to straighten things out, yeah."

"Okay, then. Wow."

"What?"

"This is going to be an interesting date; a romantic dinner with my handsome husband and then a trip to the grocery store."

"Hey, you can't say I don't plan interesting dates with my wife."

"Yeah, well, if you had remembered to go to the grocery store on the way home from work, you and your wife could be coming back home after a romantic dinner and having a romantic evening in their great big bed."

"Damn it!"

(Deciding that he wants there to be absolutely no misunderstanding on Lana's part as to how he feels about her, Chin goes about planning some very special surprises for the lady. He goes by a florist on the way to the grocery store and picks up a beautiful bouquet of red roses, greenery, and baby's breath, then picks up some nice thick rib eyes, baking potatoes and all the trimmings, and ingredients for a salad along with a couple of bottles of Lana's favorite wine. Once at her apartment, he sets the roses on the coffee table in the great room so she'll see them as soon as she walks in the door and sets about getting everything ready for a late, romantic dinner. As soon as he has the steaks marinating in the fridge, he sets the table complete with candles and then channel surfs for something to occupy his mind until it's time to start baking the potatoes. . .

Although she never minds going in to work when they are short-handed, Lana really and truly wishes that today had not been a day when she was needed. After talking with Sam at lunch earlier, she came to realize that her fears about Chin's job, while not totally unfounded, weren't going to change the way she felt about Chin one way or the other. She loves him. And Sam's right, anything can happen at any time to anyone. She cannot live her life in constant fear of 'what ifs'; not if she's going to have any kind of life at all. Praying that she and Chin can work everything out and put all this silliness about postponing the wedding behind them once she gets home, Lana throws herself into dealing with the steady flow of patients coming into the E.R. with everything from a sprained ankle to a full-blown cardiac arrest. Toward the end of her shift, Lana takes a moment to take a good look around and make sure she is current on her charting. While working in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit is intense and busy, working in the E.R. is totally chaotic and Lana is very, very glad she doesn't have to work down here too often. Satisfied that she is caught up, she spies her relief walking into the unit and, after giving the other nurse time to put her things in the Nurses' locker room, gives report and gathers her things. As she is walking out to the parking lot to her car, she is filled with a combination of fear, hope, and love, and is counting the minutes until she reaches her apartment and Chin.


	21. Chapter 21

"**Forever and Always – For Eternity"**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original **

(With every mile she drives, Lana's heart is feeling lighter and lighter; she is totally convinced that they're going to be able to work everything out, and, in less than to weeks, she will be Mrs. Chin Ho Kelly. A goofy, little grin spreads across her face as that thought runs through her brain as she sits at a traffic light. When the light turns green, Lana accelerates into the intersection and hears the horrible, high-pitched sound of squealing brakes. Snapping her head to the left, her eyes fill with horror as she sees twin headlights bearing down on her at a rapid rate of speed. Chin's sweet smile is the last thing her mind sees as the terrible sound of metal crunching into metal and intense, hot pain shoots through her before darkness engulfs her completely. . . .

Chin has just put the baked potatoes in the warmer drawer and is putting the salad together when he glances at the clock and smiles. Lana should be home in the next ten minutes or so, and he can't wait. He can't wait to tell her that he loves her more than anything or anyone and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He can't wait to take her in his arms and kiss her until she's lightheaded and can't breathe. He can't wait to take her to bed and make love with her all night long. He laughs out loud as the thought that he owes Tony, BIG TIME, crosses his mind and he tries to figure out a way to pay his cousin-in-law back for bringing him to his senses. . .

An off-duty H.P.D. detective happened to have been sitting in the turn lane and witnessed the entire accident. A white SUV, traveling at a high rate of speed, had run the red light and barreled straight into the driver's side of Lana's Jeep Cherokee. The resulting impact had sent both vehicles spinning in the middle of the intersection and Lana's jeep had ended up on the right side with the white SUV partially on top of it. The detective is on his cellular phone calling for emergency crews and running toward the two wrecked vehicles in an instant. Gas from the white SUV is pouring down onto Lana's dark blue Cherokee and a rapid rate and sparks are coming from underneath the hood. Shattered chunks of glass and pieces of jagged plastic litter the intersection. By the time the detective reaches the mangled vehicles, other bystanders have joined him. One of them, thank God, is an off-duty fire fighter/Paramedic with the Honolulu Fire Department, and he has a small fire extinguisher in his hands. After identifying themselves to each other, the two men try to find a way in to both vehicles. The tangled, twisted metal of both vehicles is meshed together in a fashion that it's difficult to determine much of anything about either of them. They quickly determine, by peering in through the shattered windshield of the crumpled Cherokee, that there appears to be only one occupant although a blood-covered arm is all they can see. Because of the way the vehicle is bent and twisted and is lying on its right side, they're going to have to wait for the rescue vehicles to cut a hole in the roof to get to the person inside. Fortunately, they hear sirens getting closer to the scene and pray they can get to the individual in time. Loud, abusive cursing can be heard just above them and they glance up to see an obviously drunk and angry man attempting to climb out of the SUV that is lying on top of the Cherokee. Fury written all over his face, the detective reaches up to assist the man, who appears to be completely uninjured except for a couple of small scratches on his face and arms, down to the ground and takes him over to one of the three police units that have just arrived. Instructing the officers to handcuff him and make sure he's thoroughly checked over by the Paramedics once they arrive, the detective rushes back to the vehicles. . . .

Glancing at the clock, Chin realizes that Lana should have gotten home by now and hits her speed dial. Her voice mail picks up after four rings and he ends the call. Okay, Chin, get a grip, she was working the E.R., so she may have had to work late and may not have been able to call you and let you know. She'll be here in a little while, and, if not, call the hospital. Either way, there will be no doubt in Lana's mind that he loves her when he does see her. . . .

The heavy rescue trucks, along with two ambulances, have arrived at the scene of the accident and firefighters and Paramedics are literally swarming over the two mangled vehicles. One paramedic has checked on the driver of the white SUV and determined that, other than the few scratches, he appears to be fine. An H.P.D. unit takes him to the E.R. to be checked out by a doctor to make sure the guy really is okay. The detective is certain that the driver of the Cherokee is either dead or dying and he doesn't want the man responsible to have any excuse to get out of a manslaughter charge on a technicality. The process of cutting the roof off the Cherokee has begun, but it is taking longer than any of the rescue workers like. . .

Chin is starting to get a little worried. Lana should have been home thirty minutes ago but she's still not there. Her cellular phone has gone to voice mail again, and he's worried. Ending the call, he calls the hospital's main number and asks for the E.R. Once someone answers, he asks for Lana and an uneasiness grips him as he waits for her to come to the phone.)


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 5, 2011**

(Five minutes later, Chin is beginning to panic. According to the nurse he spoke with on the phone, Lana left the E.R. at exactly ten o'clock. It should have taken her, at the most, twenty minutes to drive home, and it's now eleven-fifteen. Something's wrong. Trying her cellular phone again, Chin starts to get very nervous when it, once again, goes straight to voice mail. Turning off the oven, Chin heads out to the parking lot and his motorcycle. Something's definitely wrong or Lana would have already been home by now. He decides to drive the route from her apartment to the hospital and see if he can locate her. . . .

The roof is finally cut away from the top of the Jeep Cherokee and two Paramedics crawl inside the twisted wreckage. They find a woman, dressed on blood-soaked scrubs lying in what used to be the interior cabin of the vehicle. She is covered in blood, has numerous and obvious cuts and scratches, and is unconscious. Quickly locating a pulse, although it is extremely thready, they get her "packaged" on a backboard and a c-collar and get her out of the vehicle. A quick assessment tells them that she's in very bad shape and they immediately get large-bore I.V.s started, put her on oxygen with a mask, and into an ambulance and on her way to the hospital. .

Chin's anxiety level ratchets up a couple of notches as the line of traffic he's in heading toward the hospital slows to a crawl. After a couple of minutes, he moves over into the emergency lane and passes the long line of cars that is sitting still. When he approaches the major intersection where the accident happened and sees all the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles, his pulse races with fear. When he is close enough to see the vehicles involved and he sees Lana's dark blue Jeep Cherokee, his gut clenches. Pausing only long enough to find out which hospital she was taken to, which turns out to be the one she works at, thank God, he is literally flying to the E.R. . . .

Sam, a smile playing around her beautiful mouth, is "floating". Not only did she and Steve make love in their tub, they made love in the shower _before_ getting into the tub, and have just make love again _after_ getting into their bed. Steve's stamina astounds her sometimes, and, not that she's complaining, thank you very much, but, oh my God, how does he do it?

Well, duh, Sam, it is _Steve_ you're talking about here. God, but she loves him!)

"Steve?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Please don't get me wrong because I absolutely adore the fact that we just made love _three times in a row_"

(And with a smirk, he interrupts her before she can say another word.)

"About to be four, Sam."

"Oh. My. God!"

"You were about to say something, Sam?"

"Yeah, and I've _really_ got to know now. . How can you. . Um, that is, how is it possible for you to. . . Um. . "

(And, laughing, Steve rolls on top of his wife and drops a quick kiss onto the tip of her nose before looking down into her beautiful emerald green eyes.)

"I could make love to you all night long, Sam. No other woman has _ever_ made me feel what I feel with you. God, Baby, don't you know what you do to me? I could die right here in your arms and I'd die a very happy man."

"Steve, first of all if you were to die right her in my arms, I'd have a Hell of a time getting you off of me so I could drag your six onto the floor and do CPR, and, in the second place, if you die before I do, I'll kill you."

(And Steve laughs at Sam's smart-assed comment just as she'd intended. A moment later, she looks up into his beautiful eyes which have darkened to a deep, sea green, and sees all the love he has for her reflected there. He slowly lowers his head and kisses his wife sensually and slowly deepens the

Kiss until her breath is, once again, coming in short gasps. Her hands move over his broad, muscled shoulders as they ripple under her touch and his hand moves down to capture her breast. His mouth moves away from hers and trails hot, wet kisses down the slender column of her neck to the sweet spot at her collarbone and then to her breast and he is about to take her nipple in his mouth when the shrill sound of the phone interrupts them. . .

Having gone grocery shopping after dinner, Caroline and Danny have just finished putting up groceries and are about to head for their bedroom when Danny's cellular phone rings. He frowns when he sees Steve's number pop up and has a sarcastic tone in his voice when he answers.)

"You do realize that it's . . . eleven forty-five, right?"

"You and Caroline need to head to the hospital. Now. Lana's been in an accident and it's bad; really bad. Chin's already at the E.R. and I'm about to call Kono and Tony now. Sam and I will be there as soon as we can get dressed."

"How bad?"

"Bad, and that's all I know, Danny. Chin's there by himself. Go!"

(Caroline has watched as some of the color drains from Danny's face and she's already slipping her shoes back on her feet even before he ends the call.)

"What?"

"Lana was involved in an accident and Steve says it's really bad. Chin's at the hospital alone, so we need to head over there ASAP. Steve's going to call Kono and Tony, and then he and Sam are headed over there. Come on."

"I'll call my folks on the way."

(Tony, used to phone calls at all hours, answers the phone on the second ring and is instantly awake."

"Lt. Montgomery."

"Tony, Lana's been involved in an accident. I don't have details, but Chin says it's bad; really bad. He's at the E.R. and Caroline and Danny are on their way to the hospital now. Sam and I are just leaving the house."

"We'll meet you all there in fifteen."

(Kono is now awake and alert and she looks at her husband with trepidation in her eyes.)

"What is it?"

"We need to get dressed, Babe. Lana's been involved in an accident and Chin's at the E.R."

"Oh my God, Tony! How badly is she hurt?"

"Steve didn't know; just said it was bad. Come on, K, Chin needs us."


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 5, 2011**

(Caroline and Danny are the first to reach the hospital and find Chin in a private waiting room, put their by the nursing supervisor in charge of the hospital for the evening who is also sitting next to him on one of the couches. He is as white as a sheet and his hands and tightly clasped together in front of him as his elbows rest on his wide-spread knees; his knuckles completely white. Although the nurse, Mary Ellen, is gently patting his shoulder and murmuring soft words of encouragement to him, he appears to be lost in his own world. Relief is evident in the woman's eyes when Caroline and Danny enter the room and immediately move to the couch. Mary Ellen quickly stands up and, telling them she's going to go check on Lana, leaves the room. Exchanging a worried glance over the top of his head, Caroline and Danny sit on either side of him and start speaking to him softly. Caroline puts on arm around his tense shoulders and places her other hand on top of both of his.)

"Chin? Can you hear me, buddy? Sam, Steve, Kono, Tony, and Libby and Mike are on their way. They'll be here shortly. Chin?

"Chin, it's Caroline. Danny and I are here for you, Sweetie. We're going to stay right here with you. You are not alone."

"Come on, Chin, Lana's going to be just fine. You'll see, you're going to be able to see here in no time."

(But Chin hasn't so much as moved a muscle the entire time Caroline and Danny have been speaking to him. It's almost like he's completely shut down. Sending a worried and meaningful glance toward her husband and nodding toward the door, Caroline tightens the arm around Chin's shoulders and tries to get a response from Chin once again. Getting his wife's message loud and clear, Danny walks out of the room and heads into the Emergency Room to try and get an update on Lana's condition. He immediately spots Mary Ellen on the phone at the Nurses' desk and walks straight to her. Glancing to his right, he sees what appears to be about ten or twelve doctors, nurses, and x-ray technicians working frantically in one of the huge trauma bays. He catches a glimpse of long, black hair hanging off the side of one end of the stretcher and realizes that the person lying on the bed is Lana. Multiple bags of I.V. fluids and blood are hanging above the stretcher, an irregular beeping registers her heartbeat, a portable x-ray machine is sitting at the foot of the bed, and orders for meds are being shouted fast and furiously back and forth. As he is standing there, the beeping suddenly stops and one, long beep sounds from the heart monitor. A doctor yells the words that send a chill down Danny's spine.)

"She's crashing! Paddles now! Charge to three fifty; clear!"

"Nothing; she's still in v-fib!"

"Charge them again! . . Clear!"

"Still no pulse!"

"Push an amp of Epinephrine and charge to four hundred!"

"Epi's in!"

"Clear!"

"Still nothing!"

"Charge them again! . . . Clear!"

"I've got a pulse!"

(And the beeping, although erratic, resumes. Danny releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding and looks back toward Mary Ellen. She hangs up the phone and steps over to the trauma bay.)

"They're waiting on you in Surgery!'

"All right, let's get her upstairs before she crashes again! Move it, people!"

(And before Danny can blink, Lana is rushed out of the E.R. and upstairs to surgery. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, he grabs Mary Ellen's arm before she can move.)

"Please, can you tell me how badly she's hurt? I mean, I know she just crashed, but. . . "

"I understand, Det. Williams. Doctor White will be back down here as soon as he gets her to the Surgeons upstairs. Why don't you have a seat here at the desk, and I'll have him come talk with you as soon as he gets back?"

"Thank you."

(Danny takes a seat and it hits him that it's a very good thing a rolling chair was close by because his knees have turned to rubber. He just watched Lana "die" and be brought back, and he knows that he may very well have just lied to Chin. It is so not going to be just a short period of time before Chin gets to see and talk with Lana; God help all of them, it may not happen at all. Danny cannot begin to imagine what losing Lana will do to Chin, and he so does not want to be the one to have to tell him she's gone. While he's waiting for the E.R. doc to return, Danny takes several deep breaths and starts to pray. . .

Sam and Steve and Kono and Tony walk into the private waiting room at virtually the same time and find Caroline desperately trying to get through to Chin. She's been talking to him steadily for the past ten minutes, and he has yet to show and reaction at all. The relief on her face is almost palpable when the four other people walk into the room. Kono immediately takes the seat on the other side of Chin and pulls him into a tight embrace speaking soft words of support as she does so, and he actually turns his head to look at her with unfocused eyes. Motioning Tony over to take her place, Caroline quickly stands up and goes straight to Steve.)

"Danny went back to the E.R. about ten minutes ago to see if he could find out how Lana's doing and I really thought he'd be back in here by now. Could you go in there and see if you can find him, please?"

"On it. Looks like Kono and Tony are going to need some help with Chin."

"We got this, Steve, you just go find Danny."

(Nodding at Sam, Steve heads into the E.R. and finds Danny sitting in a chair behind the Nurses' desk with his elbows on his knees and his hands supporting his downcast head. One look at Danny's pale face scares the Hell out of Steve because he's afraid that Lana didn't make it and Danny can't bring himself to tell Chin. Striding over to Danny's chair, Steve reaches down and touches him on the arm causing Danny's head to snap up.)

"Is she . .?"

"They just took her up to Surgery. I haven't talked to a doctor yet, but, . . God, Steve, she "died" down here for about two minutes before they got her back. It's bad."

"But they got her back, right?"

"Yeah; this time. . . The E.R. doc went up with her, but the nursing supervisor's going to have him come talk with us as soon as he gets back. . . If she dies . . . "

"Do not go there, Danny!"

"It's a very real possibility, Steve. How are we going to tell Chin?"

"I don't know, Danny, I don't know. . . Listen, I'm going let everyone know they've taken Lana up to Surgery and that the doctor will let us all know something soon. You wait here for him. 'Kay?"

"Yeah, okay."


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 5, 2011**

(Steve walks back into the private waiting room to find that Libby and Mike Thrasher have arrived and Libby has taken Tony's place on one side of Chin while Kono is on the other. Although Chin looked at Kono, he still has not come out of whatever it is he's fallen into and all of the other people in the room are seriously worried. Libby, cool and collected as always, calmly takes both of Chin's clenched hands in hers and begins speaking quietly, but firmly, to him in a soothing tone.)

"Chin, dear, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I know that you are dreadfully upset right now, and with good reason. However, you must pull yourself together. You are going to be the very first person Lana is going to want to see, and you need to be there with that beautiful smile of yours on your face when you go to her. That sweet girl must be frightened out of her mind right now, and she's going to need you to be calm and supportive for her."

(And Chin turns his head toward Libby and actually forces himself to focus on her face, her voice, and her words. Seeing that she is making some headway, Libby offers him a gentle, motherly smile and continues.)

"Good, dear, I'm glad you're listening. Now, I can promise you, from personal experience, that the most important thing you can do for Lana right now is be as upbeat and positive as possible when you see her. It's very frightening to be lying in a hospital bed when you're sick or injured, and having the person you love be there with a beautiful smile on their face is . . . Well, I can't tell you how important that is to making you feel so much better; no matter what."

(And, amazingly, Chin utters the first words he's spoken since getting to the hospital.)

"I don't even know if Lana's . . . still alive. I can't. . .I . ."

"Now you listen to me, Chin. You're right; you don't know if Lana's still alive, but you don't know that she's not, either. You have to stay positive. You have to, dear, because to think otherwise is NOT acceptable. I'm sure the doctors will let us all know something as soon as they can, and with both my sons-in-law back there, you can be certain they'll make sure that happens as quickly as possible. Lana needs to see your sweet smile and she needs to _feel_ your love and your positive attitude."

(Before Chin can respond, the door opens and a doctor enters the room followed closely by Steve and Danny. All three men have grim expressions on their faces and everyone in the room is gripped by apprehension as Steve and Danny move closer to their wives and Chin slowly rises to his feet. The doctor walks straight to Chin and asks him to sit back down. Chin does so as the doctor pulls one of the straight chairs in the room over in front of him and sits down, also.)

"I'm Dr. White, one of the E.R. physicians here. I know you're all very anxious and want to know Lana's condition. First of all, she's in Surgery right now with two of the best trauma surgeons in the country. That said, I'm going to tell you about her injuries and the mechanics of those injuries so you'll have a better understanding of what to expect. . Lana's car was hit by an SUV traveling at a fairly high rate of speed and the primary point of impact was directly between the driver's side door and the back passenger door. The force of the impact caused both vehicles to spin and flip over with Lana's Cherokee ending up on its right side with the SUV resting on top. The weight of the SUV crushed the Jeep in such a manner that they had to cut open the top of the Jeep in order to get Lana out of the vehicle. Fortunately, she was wearing her seatbelt and it kept her from being thrown out of the Jeep on impact. Had that happened, Lana would have probably been killed on impact. Okay, now that I've given you the basics let me get a little more specific. Lana suffered numerous cuts and bruises and most of these injuries are minor and only required the very minimum of stitches. She also suffered a concussion when her head impacted the door frame on impact. We did some x-rays in the E.R. but didn't see any obvious skull fractures. They're going to do an MRI of the brain as soon as she's out of surgery to make sure there isn't a more serious brain injury. Her left forearm is also broken, but it was, fortunately, a simple fracture and should heal well without surgery. As I said, the seatbelt prevented Lana from being thrown from the vehicle upon impact, but, because of the crushing effect of the other vehicle smashing into and on top of Lana's, her chest impacted the steering wheel hard enough to severely bruise her sternum and fracture some ribs. We did an ultrasound in the E.R. and decided to take her straight up to surgery because it appears there may be a tear in the abdominal aorta that's causing her to hemorrhage internally. The surgeons are working to repair the tear right now. I'm sure you have questions and I'll do my best to answer them, but there's not a lot more that I can tell you at this point. Please know that we're doing everything we possibly can for Lana."


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 6, 2011**

**A/N: Thank you all so very much for the wonderful reviews and private messages I've received about this story! You all humble me with your love and support, and I am totally blown away by how you all have responded to my original characters! You guys are so awesome, and my "muse" and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Please continue to let me hear from you; your kind words mean the world to me! Michelle**

"Is Lana going to . . Is she going to make it?"

"We're doing everything we can, Det. Kelly, I promise you that. An aortic tear is a very serious injury. Lana's lost a lot of blood but they're doing everything they can to repair the tear and stop the blood loss. She's young and strong and otherwise healthy, so there's every reason to believe that she'll survive this injury. As I said, two of the best trauma surgeons in the country are in that operating room with her, and they _truly are_ extremely skilled surgeons."

"What about her head injury?"

"Again, we didn't see any obvious skull fractures on the x-rays we shot in the E.R. and they're going to do an MRI of the brain as soon as she's out of surgery and her vital signs stabilize. We have every reason to believe there's no serious brain injury. If there is, we'll deal with that once we've determined the specific nature of the injury and what would be the best course of treatment."

"Was . . Was she conscious when she got here? Did she say anything?"

"No, she was unconscious both at the scene and after arriving here."

(Mary Ellen, the house supervisor enters the room and Dr. White turns toward her questioningly.)

"Lana's still in surgery but we have a situation. Her blood type is A Positive and the blood bank is running low on that particular type. We're calling other area hospitals and the Red Cross right now, but we were wondering if any of you are A Positive or O Negative. If so, would you please go to the Lab and donate a pint of blood?"

(Immediately, Sam, Steve, Danny, Tony, Caroline, and Mike Thrasher are on their feet and heading toward the door. Kono is A Positive but cannot donate due to her pregnancy. Libby is also A Positive but cannot donate due to her ongoing cancer treatments. Chin cannot donate because his blood type is B Positive. As the six people leave the room, Tony can be heard on his cellular phone contacting his SEAL team to get them to come in and donate blood, as well. When it is just Chin, Kono, Libby, and Dr. White in the room, the doctor turns back toward Chin.)

"Are there any other questions I can answer for you, Det. Kelly?"

"What are her chances, Dr. White, and, please, tell me the truth?"

"That's a question I'm always asked in situations like this and one that I really don't like to try and answer. It's difficult to give an answer that's anywhere close to accurate because there are so many variables involved, and, while we have a fairly good idea of the extent of Lana's injuries, it's possible that there's more internal damage than we were aware of in the E.R. There may be injuries we won't find until they get inside the abdominal cavity, but, again, we're doing everything we possibly can for Lana."

"Please, Doc, just . . . Please try."

"All right. . If I had to guess, I'd say that, right now, she has a fifty-fifty chance of survival, but I must stress to you that Lana is young, strong, otherwise healthy, and, according to her co-workers, she has a very positive outlook on life. . And, she has you, Detective."

"Thank you. I appreciate your honesty."

"You're welcome. I'm going to have Mary Ellen get you all settled in the private waiting room outside S.I.C.U. and make sure that you are given periodic updates on Lana's condition. I'll also have her call the Lab and let the others know where you've gone so they can join you once they're finished. If you need anything at all while you're here, please let me know."

"Thanks, Doc."

(As promised, Mary Ellen returns shortly after the doctor leaves and personally escorts Chin, Kono, and Libby to the private waiting room upstairs. . .

In the Lab, the six people who are there to donate blood are quiet as they fill out various forms and wait their turns. The Lab personnel were told to expect them and have set up three donation tables in a large room where they can all be together throughout the donation process. Sam, Steve, and Tony have just completed their donations and Caroline, Danny, and Mike are just starting theirs when Tony's SEALs arrive. While they're waiting on the others, Steve puts his arms around Sam and pulls her close; her head resting on his chest as they both lean against a wall. The tables Caroline and Danny are reclining on are side by side and he reaches over and takes her hand in his while they're donating. It is Tony, however, who gives voice to what they're all feeling.)

"I can't imagine what Chin's going through right now. If it were Kono, I think I'd lose my mind. God, what she must have gone through when I was injured on that op awhile back."

"A little part of you dies every second that you wait and wonder. You can't think about anything but what's going on in that operating room, and you pray like you've never prayed before."

(Steve's words, so quietly yet firmly spoken touch all of them, but Sam's eyes fill with tears as she realizes he's describing what he went through when she was shot on the same op in which Tony was injured. She tightens her arms around his neck and looks up at him with pure love in her eyes. They all take a moment and think about the person they love more than anything and then each of them says a silent prayer that Chin doesn't lose Lana.)


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 6, 2011**

(When the group who was donating blood comes back to the private waiting room just outside S.I.C.U., Kono and Libby are still sitting on either side of Chin. Although he appears to have come out of the state of shock he was in when they left, he looks completely shell-shocked. The room is pleasantly decorated and furnished with several comfortable couches, chairs and coffee tables with lamps that shed soft light onto the beige-colored walls but only a few people take advantage of the comfortable seating. In addition to Sam, Steve, Caroline, Danny, Tony, and Mike, three of Tony's SEALs also come to the waiting room and all three take the time to talk softly with Chin. Deciding that he can't sit still another second, Chin gets up and walks to the large window to stare out into the night. Kono starts to get up and go to her cousin, but Libby places a gentle hand on her arm to stop her.)

"Give him a minute, dear. He's been hit with a lot the past couple of hours and I believe he just needs a little time to absorb it all. We're right here if he needs us, so let's just let him have a little time to himself. Have you had a chance to call your family?"

"Tony called my mom and asked her to let everyone else know. He told her to ask them to wait until we have more definite information on Lana's condition before coming to the hospital."

"Your husband is a very wise man."

"He's wonderful. I hadn't even thought about calling the family and he just went ahead and did it. Of course, my mom wanted to come up here immediately, but Tony told her that we were all here and there wasn't a lot of room in the waiting area. Before he was through, he had my mother eating out of his hand."

"Yes, Tony is wonderful; a wonderful friend, a wonderful husband, and he's going to be a wonderful father."

"Yes, he is. What would we all do without you, Libby? You are a remarkable woman and an amazing mother. How do you do it?"

"Well, dear, Mike and I wanted to have a whole houseful of children, but the good Lord had other plans for us. He's blessed us with Caroline and Sam, but we think of all of you as our children, too. Which just goes to prove that, sometimes, you have to wait a while for your prayers to be answered, but He does answer them; which is why we all need to pray for Lana right now."

(Sam and Steve are sitting on one end of a long couch with his arm around her and her head resting on his shoulder and Caroline and Danny are in the same position on the other end of the same couch. Tony takes a seat next to his wife and slips an arm around her shoulder while Libby stands up and joins Mike who is leaning against the wall opposite the door. Chin is standing with his arms crossed in front of him at the window; his mind drifting.

Lana had been sitting behind the Nurses' desk in S.I.C.U. charting while Gov. Jameson, Danny, Kono, and Chin were standing at the desk talking. . Steve had been shot and was in S.I.C.U. Kono had asked him how Sam was doing and Lana had expressed her concern for Sam's health. When the Governor had asked her to make arrangements for a tray to be send up to Sam when the patients received theirs, Lana hand immediately taken care of it; getting a tray sent up immediately. Her concern for not just her patients but their families and friends as well was clearly obvious and Chin knew he had to get to know her better. Her long, silky dark hair was pulled back in the ponytail she usually wears when working, but it was so shiny, even under the florescent lights of the unit, and it looked so soft that his fingers actually itched in anticipation of running his hands through her glossy locks. Her tanned skin appeared to be soft and he wanted to touch that, too. Her dark eyes held compassion and a little spark of teasing when she looked at him, her high cheekbones were beautifully sculpted and her mouth. . . Her mouth was just begging to be kissed. He might have just spent a total of five minutes in her presence when he first laid eyes on her, and she hadn't actually spoken directly to him, but he _knew_ that he was going to do whatever it took to get this gorgeous, kind, caring woman to go out with him. A day or so later, when they thought hit hired killers were going to try to get to Sam and Steve at the hospital and Lana was working, Chin had tried to get her to leave the hospital and she'd refused; even after he'd told her, in no uncertain terms, why he wanted her to leave. She'd told him that she had patients to take care of, and, besides, _he_ was there to protect her. All though he'd been a little angry that she wouldn't leave, he'd also felt about ten feet tall at the faith and trust she'd placed in him. After the crisis was over and they had the bad guys in custody, Chin had called her and taken her out to dinner, and. . . That was it; he was totally and completely, head-over-heels in love with her. Hell, if he's honest, he'll admit that he started falling in love with her that first day when she expressed her concern for Sam's welfare. Finding out that she volunteered with children who were cancer survivors, well, that captured a little piece of his heart, too.

After he learned what Lana went through early in her life, being raped at fourteen and not telling anyone because she was afraid her rapist would kill her family if she did, he wanted to kill the man with his bare hands; especially after the man came back, just a few months ago, and started threatening her again. That situation turned out as well as could be expected, but Lana went through sheer Hell during that ordeal and _still_ managed to show compassion for her rapist in the end. What a strong, courageous woman Lana Palea is, and the fact that she loves _him_ is enough to bring him to his knees. How could he have _ever_ had the first moment's hesitation about marrying Lana? How could he have been so cold-hearted as to tell her he wanted to postpone the wedding? How could he have caused this incredible woman one second's pain or heartache? God, he is such a fool! Closing his eyes, Chin asks God to let Lana live, to let her come back to him, to let him make up for his cowardice and selfishness every second of every day for the rest of their lives.)


	27. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 6, 2011**

(The sun is just starting to come up when a scrub-suited doctor walks tiredly into the waiting area accompanied by the nursing supervisor. Chin, who had been sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs in the waiting room, jumps up immediately and everyone else also rises to their feet or straightens up from the wall. Mary Ellen takes care of the necessary introductions.)

"Det. Chin Ho Kelly, this is Dr. Adams, the trauma surgeon who operated on Lana. Det. Kelly is Lana's fiancé."

"Thank you, Mary Ellen. . Lana's being moved to S.I.C.U. as we speak. As soon as they have here in her room, you can go in and see her. She's not conscious, but I know how anxious you must be."

"Dr. Adams, please, how is she?"

"There was a small tear on her abdominal aorta and we were able to repair it. Fortunately, we didn't find any other internal injuries. She lost a lot of blood, however, and went into hypovolemic shock, but, between units of whole blood and I.V. fluids, we're slowly but surely taking care of that problem. I believe Dr. White told you she has a fracture to her left forearm, but it's already been casted and it should heal quite well in a few weeks. We've also done an MRI of her brain and the radiologist didn't find any sign of traumatic brain injury, so that's a blessing. "

"So, Lana's going to be okay?"

"With an injury of this type, with the massive blood loss, there are certain things we need to keep an eye on. The spinal cord is very sensitive to blood loss and, an injury of this type and the surgery necessary to repair it, well it can create concerns with damage to the spinal column."

"What are trying to say, Dr. Adams?"

"If there are no complications, such as additional bleeders, no manifestations of traumatic brain injury that's not immediately apparent, no elevations or sudden drops in blood pressure, any number of things, Lana should recover."

"But?"

"But, because the spinal column may have suffered an irreversible injury due to the blood supply being compromised. There's a possibility that Lana may be paralyzed from the waste down. Of course, we won't know if this is the case until Lana regains consciousness, but I wanted you to be prepared."

"And if she is paralyzed, would it be . . Permanent?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Once tissue dies due to deprivation of oxygenated blood, it doesn't regenerate. It is possible that Lana may not have any feeling in her lower body when she first wakes up because of bruising to the spinal column. If that is the case, she should regain feeling and use of her legs within a short time, say, a week or two. If not, then the paralysis will be permanent. I'm sorry, Det. Kelly, I wish I could give you better news. Frankly, with the nature of her injuries, Lana is very lucky to be alive at this point."

"Thank you, Dr. Adams. I appreciate your honesty."

"I'll have one of the nurses come and get you when you can go back and see her, and I'll be checking in on her a little later in the day. Please have one of the nurses page me if you have any more questions."

(No one says a word or moves a muscle as the doctor leaves the room. Chin slowly sinks down onto on of the couches, props his elbows on his knees, and rests his head on his hands. Wordlessly, Libby moves to sit next to him and gently rubs his back. For several minutes, Chin allows this, but then he stands up and walks to one side of the room running a hand angrily through his hair.)

"The officer on the scene who told me they'd brought Lana here told me the guy who was driving the SUV field tested at over twice the legal limit. Said that, other than some scratches, he was fine. They brought him here to be checked out by a doctor, but, if everything was okay, they were going to take him downtown and lock him up. Kono, would you please call H.P.D. and see if that actually happened?"

"Yeah, Cuz, I can do that."

(Se pulls out her cellular phone and steps into a corner of the room to make the call.)

"What are you thinking, Chin?"

"I'm thinking, Steve, that a beautiful, smart, caring woman who never did anything to hurt anyone in her whole life, who only tries to help people, who went through Hell at the age of fourteen and then again a few months ago, is lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life and may end up paralyzed if she does live, and the son of a bitch who put here there walked away with just a few scratches! I'm thinking that I have absolutely no idea what to say to the woman I love more than anything when she looks up at me and asks why she can't feel her legs, and I'm thinking that I want to at least be able to tell her the bastard who hit her is behind bars.! I can tell her that much, can't I, Kono?"

(Kono has ended her call with H.P.D. during Chin's tirade and looks up at him with anguish on her face.)

"The driver was treated and released from the E.R., taken downtown and booked on a DUI charge, and has already been bailed out by his father. I'm so sorry, Chin."

(Chin's only response is to hit the wall so hard that his fist puts a very large hole in the wall and bloodies his knuckles. Wordlessly, Libby steps into the bathroom just off the waiting room, wets several paper towels, and proceeds to gently take Chin's injured hand in hers and dab at his knuckles. Grim expressions on their faces, Steve and Danny excuse themselves and step out of the room. Sam, who knows exactly what Chin is feeling, joins her mother and, with a look of understanding passing between the two women, Libby steps away with a gentle smile for her daughter. Knowing that Sam is about to share an extremely part of her life with Chin in order to try and help him, Libby is both proud of and heartbroken for Sam; the pain Sam is about to deliberately put herself through speaks volumes about her character, and Libby's heart swells with love for her child.)


	28. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 6, 2011**

(Taking the damp paper towels from her mother's hand, Sam take over the task of gently dabbing at the blood oozing from Chin's knuckles. She offers him a small smile when she looks up and finds him looking at her with a sheepish expression on his face. Deciding it's now or never, Sam quietly begins talking.)

"How much do you know about how my biological parents died, Chin?"

"Just that they died in an accident. Steve said you were seventeen when it happened."

"My father was thinking about retiring from the Navy and he and my mother had decided that they wanted to live in Virginia after he retired. They had driven down to the southern part of the state to look at some property they were interested in and were supposed to spend the night. Caroline and I were in our first year at the Naval Academy and it was about two weeks before we were going to be home for the Christmas break, so my parents were going to spend the night at a country inn my mother had found on the internet. Sort of a romantic getaway for them before the holidays came around and their seventeen year-old daughter was in the house for awhile and, well, I think you get the idea. I'll never know why they decided to drive back to Washington that night, but they did. It was dark and raining, and they were on a two-lane country road. . .

(Sam's eyes are getting misty and Chin realizes that what she's about to tell him is going to cost her; dearly. Neither of them notice Steve and Danny slip back into the room and the attention of everyone else present is riveted on Sam and Chin, but they don't notice them, either)

"Sam, you don't have to. .." 

"Yes, I do, Chin. I've been right where you are now. I really do understand what you're going through. Please, let me finish. . . They were hit head-on by a drunk driver. He was an aide to a sitting United States Senator and had just left a party at the Senator's country home. His blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit, but he walked away from the accident without so much as a scratch. He was so drunk that he couldn't find his cellular phone in the wreckage, and stumbled around for awhile before finally finding his way to a house. The people who lived there testified that he was so drunk he was actually laughing when he told them he thought he'd 'had a little accident'. They called the Sheriff's Department and the Highway Patrol and, well, by the time they got to the scene, it was too late; my parents were both dead. If that bastard had of been able to get his hands on his phone or gone straight to the house where he finally ended up, which was only half a mile from the scene of the accident, and given them directions sooner, my parents my have survived. I found out later that it took my mother over an hour to die, and my father died about half an hour after she did. My father was still holding my mother in his arms when they found them."

(By now, tears are steadily streaming, unchecked, down Sam's face as well as Libby's, and Caroline and Kono aren't far behind. Mike is wiping his eyes and Danny, Tony, and the other SEALS are looking very grim. Steve, his heart breaking for what Sam's going through right now, wisely stays back and lets her finish. He is very grateful for his mother-in-law's arm which slides around his waist, and, as he puts an arm around her shoulders, he's not sure who's comforting who.)

"Because my father was an active duty Naval officer, NCIS became a part of the investigation. By the time they got involved, it was very early the next morning. They called the Pentagon where my Dad was working, but found out that I was their only living relative and was at the Naval Academy so they called the Thrashers after someone in my father's office told them they were on my father's emergency contact list. Mike was out of the country TDY, but Libby was home so she went to Bethesda to. . To identify their bodies. After that, she drove up to Annapolis to tell me herself and then brought me and Caroline back to D.C. She got a call from the NCIS agent assigned to the case who demanded that she bring me to the hospital to identify my parents' bodies as the next of kin even though she'd already done so; he said he didn't want the man accused of hitting them to have any possibility of getting off on a technicality because proper procedures weren't followed. So, we went to Bethesda and down to the morgue, and . . ."

(And this time it's Steve who steps forward and puts his hand on Sam's shoulder.)

"Sam, Baby, you really don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do, Steve! I've never. . . I've never been able to talk about this before, and . . . I have to do this, Steve! I have to get this out!"

(And although it nearly kills him to do so, he steps back and lets her finish. Turning back to Chin, Sam is not the least bit surprised to find that, instead of her taking care of Chin's skinned knuckles, he is now gripping both of her hands in his tightly.)

"There had been a horrible pile up on the Beltway that morning and the Emergency Room was overflowing with patients so the hospital staff hadn't been able to. . wipe off the blood or do much of anything except move my parents' bodies to the morgue and cover them with sheets. When we got down there, they just . . Pulled the sheets back and . . There they were. They both had deep gashes all over their faces and upper bodies, and they were so gray and cold and stiff. . . I formally identified them and then. . . I'm ashamed to say I fainted on the spot like some weak, little girl."

"You were only seventeen, Sam! My God, how could anyone in their right mind make a seventeen year-old girl do something like that?"

"The man was just doing his job, Chin. You have to do things you don't really want to sometimes; we all do. Anyway, I wanted you to know that I really do understand exactly what you're feeling right now; the anger, the _rage_ that you're feeling toward the man who hit Lana, the sense of complete helplessness because there was nothing, _nothing_ you could have done to prevent the accident, the fear that's eating away at you because you don't have the slightest clue what to do next. . . So here's what you need to know. First, unlike my parents, Lana's alive. She's young and strong, and she's a fighter. She's going to need you, need your strength in the coming days and weeks, and she needs to see you with a smile on your face and a positive attitude. No matter what happens, you have to be strong for her. Secondly, you have a lot of people, including every, single person in this room, who cares deeply about you; you are not alone in this. Don't shut yourself off, Chin, don't be hesitant to reach out and talk to someone, anyone at any time. Believe me, I know, you need to let us in, you need to let us help you because you can't help Lana if you don't allow us to help you. So, let us, okay?"

(Nodding his head slightly, Chin embraces Sam and hugs her tightly for a moment.)

"Thank you, Sam. I know that wasn't easy for you, but thank you for telling me. You're right, I do need to be strong for Lana, and . . I do know that you're all here for me."

"Call me. Anytime, Chin, day or night, and I mean that."

"I know you do, Sam."


	29. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 6, 2011**

(When Sam steps back from Chin's hug, Steve takes her hand in his and pulls her out of the room and into the hallway. At this early hour of the day, there aren't many people in the hall and Steve pulls her into his strong arms and holds her tightly for a few moments. Stroking her golden blonde hair gently, he kisses the top of her head and wishes he could take away her pain. Pulling back, he looks down into her beautiful eyes and places a soft kiss on her forehead.)

"What you just did in there for Chin. . . That took a lot of courage, Sam."

"There was nothing courageous about it, Steve. That really is the first time I've every talked about what happened that horrible day. I guess it's always been there, inside of me, and. . . It was just time to get it out. If anything I said helped Chin, then I'm glad."

"I love you, Sam, and I swear to you that I will do everything within my power to make sure you never have to go through anything like that again."

"I know you will, Steve, and I love you so much, too. . . Hey, I have to go. With Adm. Henderson still TDY, I have to be at the base. I need to run home and take a shower, so call me and let me know how Lana's doing, and remind Chin he can call me anytime he needs to, okay?"

"Okay, and, Sam? . . . I'm always here for you, Sweetheart, never forget that."

(After kissing his wife very sweetly, Steve watches her as, back straight and head held high, Sam walks down the hallway and gets on the elevator. When he steps back into the waiting room, he finds Chin looking better than he has since this whole nightmare began.)

"Is Sam okay?"

"She's fine, but with Adm. Henderson in San Diego, she has to be at the base this morning. She went home to take a shower, but she said to remind you that you can call you anytime."

"Steve, what Sam did, . . That was, . . "

"She's fine, Chin, really. Listen, Danny and I called H.P.D. and talked to the booking officer. The guy who hit Lana is Edward Powell the Third, son of Edward Powell, Jr. who is the owner and CEO of Powell Industries."

"That's how he managed to get out on bail so fast."

"Yeah, and his father's already hired a high-dollar lawyer from one of the most exclusive firms on the island to defend him. Steve's got a call in to the Governor to see if she knows his attorney."

"It doesn't matter; with the kind of money the Powells have, he'll probably never even see the inside of a courtroom."

"Hey, you don't know that, Chin."

"Yeah, Danny, I do, and so do you."

"Just who are these people?"

"Powell Industries is one of the largest suppliers of small aircraft parts in the country, Tony, and they have money on top of money on top of money. Edward Powell the Third is only twenty-seven and is worth millions all on his own."

"Okay, Danny, but you don't honestly believe, not for one second, that they're going to be able to buy their way out of this, do you?"

"You'd be surprised what they can buy their way out of, Tony."

"Hey! Nobody's buying their way out of anything. What we need to do right now is concentrate on Lana, okay? In addition to the Governor, I've also got a call in to the D.A.'s office. Powell is not going to get away with this!"

"Calm down, Steven, we're all good."

(A nurse steps in at that moment to let Chin know that he can see Lana and he is out the door before she is finished speaking. Once he is clear of the room, Steve's famous dark frown finds its way to his face.)

"I didn't want to say anything in front of Chin, but you could be right, Danny. The booking officer said Powell was laughing and bragging about how he'd just pay a fine and be done with it while he was waiting for his attorney to bail him out."

"What'd I tell you?"

"Fine, but don't say anything like that in front of Chin!"

"Like he doesn't know."

"Listen, Danny, Chin needs to concentrate on Lana right now. He does not need to be thinking about anyone or anything else, especially Edward Powell. You and I and Kono will take care of Powell but we need to keep Chin out of it."

"Yeah, okay, Steve, so, let's go talk with the D.A."

"Yeah. Kono, you stay here and keep an eye on Chin."

"No problem. Tony and Caroline and the guys have to head to the base, too, so I've got this."

"We've got this, dear. Mike and I aren't going anywhere."

(Chin's knees threaten to buckle as he steps into the cubicle where Lana, pale and unconscious, her face bruised and her left arm in a cast from fingertips to just below her elbow resting on top of a pillow at her side, lies deathly still in the bed. Blood and I.V. fluids run into both arms, an oxygen mask covers her pale face, and her heartbeat registers with a steady beat on the monitor. She looks so pale, so small, so fragile, and Chin's heart twists in his chest. Sitting in the chair beside her bed, he gently takes her uninjured hand in both of his, kisses the top of her hand, and starts talking to her softly; telling her he's there and that she's going to be fine.)


	30. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 6, 2011**

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the positive feedback I've received! Your reviews and p/ms mean the world to me! Michelle**

(Having been up all night at the hospital, Sam is tired once she reaches the base even after a very cold shower. Saying a silent prayer of thanks that she isn't scheduled to fly today, she unlocks her office and boots up her computer. She has just hit the on button when Mrs. Tyson, Adm. Henderson's secretary, sticks her head in the door of Sam's office with a less-than-pleased expression on her face. One look at the woman's expression and Sam _knows_.)

"Good morning, Mrs. Tyson."

"Good morning, Cmdr. McGarrett. I'm so sorry to have to hit you with this first thing, but there's a problem."

"A problem?"

"Yes, Commander. Lt. Cmdr. Thorne is short a pilot and a RIO and informed me that his squadron would not be flying the simulation exercises with the Forrestal today. I asked him if he had attempted to locate replacement personnel, and he told me that, and I quote, 'That is the CAG's job; not mine.', and then he hung up on me. What would you like me to do, Commander?"

"Have Lt. Cmdr. Thorne report to me immediately, and ask Lt. Monroe to step in here, please. I'll pull up the updated flight roster and . . "

"I've already printed the flight roster off, Commander, here you go, and Lt. Monroe is already on his way to your office."

(In spite of her irritation, Sam cannot help but smile at the efficiency of Adm. Henderson's secretary, and realizes that the lady knows her well. Shooting her a mischievous grin, Sam can't resist asking her next question.)

"And Lt. Cmdr. Thorne?"

"I'll call him now, Cmdr. McGarrett, although. . . "

"I understand, Mrs. Tyson. Sorry, but I do need to see him."

"Yes, Ma'am."

(A few minutes later, Lt. Monroe knocks on Sam's door and she motions him in and to a chair while she completes a phone call. As soon as she hangs up, she looks up to find a curious expression on her XO's face.)

"Lieutenant, I'm pulling Lieutenants Mackey and Smith from red squadron and assigning them to green squadron temporarily until Lt. Atkins and Ens. Faulk are back from leave. I realize that leaves our squadron short, but I'm sure we'll be fine. We've beaten the Forrestal's squadrons before with only four planes."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I also want to talk with you about setting up the orientation and training schedule for the new pilots coming in next week. I'd appreciate it if you could put together a preliminary schedule for me to take a look at. "

"Me, Commander?"

"Yes, you, Lieutenant."

"Shouldn't that be Lt. Cmdr. Thorne's job, Ma'am? I mean, he is third in command after Adm. Henderson and you."

"He is. . . At the moment. . . . Lieutenant, I'm sure you know that your name is on the list for possible promotion to Lieutenant Commander and I'm also fairly certain that you know that both Adm. Henderson and I have written excellent recommendations for you to receive that promotion. Scuttlebutt has it that, when the promotions list comes out in a few days, you're going to be at the top."

"Commander, I . . . Wow."

"Wow, indeed, Lieutenant. Adm. Henderson and I have also both requested that, if you are promoted, and we have every reason to believe you will be, you remain here at Pearl. You'd get your own squadron, and the Admiral and I want to put you in the chain of command; third in line behind me. Unless, of course, you'd rather be transferred to another base. . ."

"No, Cmdr. McGarrett, I'd like to stay here at Pearl. . . My own squadron. . . Ma'am, I. . Thank you, Commander, but . . What about Lt. Cmdr. Thorne?"

"Adm. Henderson and I will deal with Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, and don't thank me yet, Lieutenant, what I've just told you hasn't actually come to pass. Of course, when it does, I'm going to be losing the best XO I've ever had, and _that's_ definitely something I'll regret, but you've earned this and I'm proud to have had you in my squadron."

"Thank you, Commander, and, Ma'am, may I say that I've never served with a finer officer."

"I was thinking about Lt. Atkins for my new XO. What do you think?"

"I think Lt. Atkins is an excellent officer, a good pilot, very organized, and, will make an outstanding XO."

"Glad you agree, but he won't be you. You've spoiled me, Lieutenant. I've gotten used to you anticipating my orders before I even give them. Something tells me it's going to take a little while for Lt. Atkins to figure me out."

"Not to worry, Ma'am. I'll make sure to bring him up to speed."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Now, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne is on his way over here so we can discuss the situation with simulation exercises scheduled for today. I want you to sit in on this meeting. After all, you're going to be in the position of having to deal with situations like this eventually, so you might as well get a head start."

(Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne appears at Sam's door at that particular moment and, after sending Lt. Monroe a dismissing glance, looks expectantly at Sam. She motions him to the other chair in front of her desk and he sits down with a sullen expression on his face. Sam takes her time and stares disapprovingly at the man for a moment. After being up all night at the hospital, worrying about Lana and Chin, and gone through the emotional upheaval of sharing what happened with her parents, she is in no mood to be messed with, and has decided she's not going to take any crap from Thorne.)

"Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, would you please be so kind as to tell me why, you told Adm. Henderson's secretary that your squadron would not be flying simulation exercises as scheduled today?"

"I'm short a pilot and RIO, Cmdr. McGarrett, I don't have a full squadron."

"Other officers have flown these exercises with less than a full squadron, Commander. Are you telling me that you are not capable of doing so? After all, if you were flying an actual combat mission, the possibility exists that you could be one or more planes short."

"It's not the same thing and you know it. Besides, there are stand-by flight crews available."

"Yes, and told Mrs. Tyson that calling in a stand-by flight crew was the CAG's job; not yours."

"That's correct, Commander."

"You are currently third in command at this base, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne. What would you have done if both Adm. Henderson and I were unavailable? Waited until one of us got back to call in a stand-by crew?"

"Of course not."

"Then why didn't you call one in when you realized you were short this morning?"

"I didn't want to overstep my bounds, Commander. I knew you would be here, so I thought it best to reschedule the exercises."

"You couldn't be bothered to make two, simple phone calls and get a stand-by flight crew in here in time to fly the exercises as scheduled, but you went to the considerable trouble to get word to the Forrestal that the exercises were being rescheduled creating the necessity for their flight and maintenance crews to completely reconfigure their schedules and our maintenance crews to pull four planes off the flight line after they had already been prepped all because you didn't want to 'overstep' your bounds?"

"I only did what I thought best, Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Well, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, if that's your best, it's sadly lacking. You exercised exceedingly poor judgment this morning and have created a great deal of unnecessary work for a great many people. Not to mention the fact that I've been on a ship-to-shore call with both the Captain and the CAG of the Forrestal trying my damnedest to keep them from writing your six up. I've assigned Lieutenants Mackey and Smith to your squadron temporarily and I've asked Senior Chief Evans to have your birds on the flight line and ready at 1300 hours. You will be flying out to the Forrestal and you will participate in the simulation exercise, and, when the exercises are concluded and you are back here, you will have your written report on my desk before you leave for the day. Are we clear, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne?"

"Perfectly, Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Dismissed."


	31. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 8, 2011**

(Chin has been sitting next to Lana's bed hold her hand for well over an hour and hasn't so much as moved a muscle nor has he stopped his steady stream of softly spoken words of love and encouragement. All of the nurses in the S.I.C.U. know Chin well and allow him to remain with Lana instead of chasing him out after a few minutes. Even though he was warned by Lana's doctor that she would be unconscious for awhile, Chin has no intention of leaving her side. Kono, Libby, and Mike take turns coming in to check on him throughout the morning, but all realize that the best thing for him at the moment is to be exactly where he is; with Lana. . . .

Steve and Danny are both frustrated as they drive back to the Five-0 offices after meeting with the D.A. The only charges pending against Edward Powell, III are one for DUI and one for running a red light. Because Lana's condition, while extremely critical, is still uncertain, there seems to be a sort of "legal limbo" as far as definitive charges against Powell are concerned. Because Powell had a "clean" record up until the accident and because of who his father is and who the Powell family knows, it was no problem for his father to get him out on bail. The attorney the Powell family hired, William Everett, is one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the state and he doesn't come cheaply. Furthermore, the District Attorney told Steve and Danny that he _does not_ want Five-0 involved in the case in any way because of Chin's relationship to Lana. Apparently, the D.A. realized that they would want to be right in the middle of the investigation before Steve and Danny arrived at his office because he informs them that he has already spoken with the Governor and she has assured him that Five-0 will not interfere at this time. A quick call to Gov. Jameson as they are walking to the Camaro confirms this information although the Governor does tell Steve that she has asked the D.A. and H.P.D. to keep Five-0 abreast of the progress of the investigation.

Steve and Danny, however, decide to do a little checking into Edward Powell, III and his family's background, and begin to run the usual checks as soon as they get to the office. An hour later, they have turned up nothing useful and are both pacing like caged tigers. Kono has called to check in with them and tell them that nothing has changed with Lana's condition, and she is just as frustrated as Steve and Danny when Danny tells her about their meeting with the D.A. Not wanting to upset Chin any more than he already is, Kono tells Steve that she's going to keep the information about Five-0 staying out of the investigation to herself for the time being and Steve agrees with her. Steve tells Kono they're going to dig a little deeper into Powell's background and will head back to the hospital later in the afternoon. Caroline and Tony stop by during lunch and each of them sneaks back into the unit to see Lana and check on Chin. Although he gives every person who comes to Lana's room to visit for a few minutes a smile and does his best to be upbeat, none of them are fooled. Chin is scared to death.

Late in the afternoon, Steve and Danny have returned to the hospital as have Caroline and Tony and they are all in the private waiting room with Kono, Libby, and Mike. At Mike's insistence, both Kono and Libby went home to take showers and change clothes earlier in the afternoon, and he went as soon as Libby got back. The only person missing from the group is Sam who is still at the base.)

"Has there been any change in Lana's condition since I talked to you earlier, Mom?"

"No, Caroline, Lana's still unconscious and Chin's still in there with her. Kono did get him to come out of there long enough to eat some lunch, but only because Mike promised Chin he would sit with Lana while he and Kono went to the cafeteria."

"The doctor did warn us it might be awhile. Still, it's got to be hard on him."

(Indeed it is hard on Chin; not the long periods of sitting and not the long periods of holding Lana's hand because he could sit and hold her hand all day long. What is hard on him is seeing her lying there, so small and pale in the bed, wires and tubes running into her carrying life-sustaining blood, oxygen, and I.V. fluids, seeing her so battered and bruised, and wanting to pull her into his arms and just hold her but knowing he can't. As he's been sitting by Lana's hospital bed throughout the day, Chin has been thinking about a great many things. What an idiot he was to have ever even considered postponing their wedding! Never before has any woman, any _person_, ever gotten under his skin the way Lana Palea has; she is his reason for every breath he takes. Softly kissing the back of her cool, unmoving hand, he prays that he will have the chance to tell her just how much she means to him; how much he loves her once again. Then he thinks of the man who hit her while driving drunk and his blood boils. The thought occurs to him that he didn't ask Sam what happened to the man who hit her parents. He prays that justice was done in the case of Sam's parents, but he vows that the man responsible for Lana's injuries will pay; one way or the other.)


	32. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 8, 2011**

(Sam arrives at the hospital and, although she's got a positive expression and a small smile on her beautiful face, it's obvious that she's tired. Steve, Libby, and Mike immediately pick up on the fact that Sam's tense in addition to being tired and both Steve and Mike are pretty sure they know why, or rather, who, caused the tension. Exchanging a glance, the two men both start in Sam's direction at the same time, but Mike waves Steve off indicating he wants to have a talk with his daughter. Realizing that Sam might be more willing to open up to Mike about Thorne than him, Steve backs off and allows Mike to draw Sam off into a corner of the private waiting room. After giving his daughter a comforting hug, Mike looks directly at Sam with a no nonsense expression on his face. Having seen this look more times than she can count while growing up, Sam resigns herself to the fact that her father has questions and is not going to relent until he gets answers.)

"Dan, I've been up all night and had a really busy day, and. . ."

"No matter how busy either of us was or how little sleep we've had, we've always made time to talk to each other; particularly when one of us truly needed to do so, haven't we?"

"Yes, Sir."

"All right, then. Let's go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee and you can tell your old man all about it."

"What makes you think there's an 'it' to talk about, Dad?"

"You're my daughter, Honey, I know you like the back of my hand. Something's weighing on you, Sam; heavily, and I don't like to see either one of my girls struggling with anything. Come on."

(The two slip out of the room with Steve giving Sam a smile and a wink from across the room as she and her father step out the door. The two take the elevator downstairs and get coffee from the cafeteria before finding a table in a corner of the room. Once they are seated, Mike looks across the table at his daughter and offers her a reassuring smile.)

"All right, Sam, it's just me and you. Talk to me."

"It's nothing, Dad, really. I've got it."

"Sam, something, or _someone_, is creating problems for you, and, while I'm sure you have it under control, you still need someone to talk to about whatever's bothering you."

"I have Steve, Dad."

"But you won't talk to Steve about this because you know exactly how he'll react if the problem is who I think it is, so talk me."

"I can't talk to you about it, either, Dad, for the very same reason!"

"Yes, you can, Honey. This is just me and you; not Adm. Thrasher and Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Dad . . ."

"Sam, I promise you that anything you say to me will go no further than right here and right now; not to your mother and not to Steve, and certainly not to anyone at the base."

(Sam looks at her father for a few moments and finally decides that he's right. If she doesn't vent to someone soon, she's going to explode. Besides, even though they're talking right now as father and daughter, her father _is_ an Admiral and has years of experience with handling difficult officers under his belt so maybe he is the person she needs to open up to about Thorne. Sitting up, Sam leans forward and decides to go for it.)

"Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne. That's who's got me all bent out of shape, Dad. The man is an arrogant, egotistical, pitiful excuse for a human being. He pushes the envelope just far enough to create problems for everyone around him, but doesn't actually step far enough over the line to create problems for himself; although, today, he came damned close. I was on a ship-to-shore call with the Captain and CAG of the Forrestal for over an hour this morning trying to keep Thorne's six out of hot water because he couldn't be bothered to pick up the phone and make two, quick, simple phone calls that would have taken him all of five minutes."

"And just why would you want to keep him out of trouble with the Captain and the CAG of the Forrestal, Honey?"

"Because he's one of my officers, Dad! I'm his C.O., and he's my responsibility. If anyone's going to write him up or call him on the carpet, it needs to be me, and, if I can't keep my officers in line, then maybe I don't deserve to be the CAG at Pearl."

"Hold it right there, young lady! Don't you dare let Thorne undermine your confidence and make you doubt yourself! You're an excellent officer, Sam, and you've worked very hard to get where you are. You've earned both your rank and your position. Honey, can't you see what Thorne's trying to do? He's trying his best to make you questions yourself, Sam. Don't let him get away with it!"

"I'm well aware of what Thorne's trying to do, Dad, and I'm _not_ going to let him get the better of me. I just. . . I get so frustrated sometimes. Every time I think I've made progress in bringing the air group together as a team, he does something to create dissension. Adm. Henderson wants to transfer him, but . . . "

"But you don't want Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, or anyone else, to think that Henderson's showing you favoritism by getting rid of Thorne."

"Yes, Sir."

"Honey, this guy's been a, excuse the pun, 'thorn in your side' for quite some time now. Don't you think it's time to let someone else deal with him?"

"And admit I'm incapable of dealing with difficult officers under my commander? Come on, Dad, you and I both know that if a rumor like that got out, my career in the Navy will be over."

"Sweetheart, a minute ago, you told me that you were Thorne's C.O. and he was your responsibility. Have you forgotten that Adm. Henderson's _your_ C.O.?"

"Of course not!"

"Then let him do _his_ job, Sam. You've been so busy trying to be the perfect CAG, the perfect squadron commander, the perfect officer that you've forgotten that, one, none of us are perfect, and, two, the ultimate responsibility for the air group at Pearl lies with Adm. Henderson. If he wants Thorne transferred, sign off on it and get rid of everyone's problem."

(For just a moment, Sam looks uncertain, but, as her father's words sink into her tired brain, she realizes that he's right. When it comes right down to it, she really doesn't have the final say so about Joel Thorne or any other officer assigned to Pearl; Adm. Henderson does. Reaching across the table, Sam squeezes her father's hand as she gives him a small smile.)

"I'll talk to Adm. Henderson as soon as he gets back from San Diego. . . I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Honey. Now, let's get back upstairs before that husband of yours sends out a search party."

(Sam is feeling much better when she and Mike go back upstairs and actually has a little smile on her face when the two of them step back into the waiting room outside of S.I.C.U. Her smile, however, vanishes instantly when they step through the door and see Libby, Caroline, and Kono crying and Steve, Danny, and Tony looking like they want to kill someone.)


	33. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 8, 2011**

(Sam's eyes scan the room until they lock with Steve's and she is stunned by the pained expression she sees in his. He makes his way over to her and Mike and slides an arm around her slender waist.)

"What is it, Steve? What's happened?"

"Lana. . She woke up. . . She has no feeling from the waist down."

"Oh, God, is. . . Is it permanent?"

"They don't know yet. There's a neurologist and a vascular guy in there examining her now."

"Where's Chin?"

"He's with Lana. When she woke up and realized she couldn't feel anything, she went ballistic. Chin's the only thing keeping her calm at the moment."

"Wait, didn't the surgeon who operated on Lana say that there might be a possibility that she wouldn't have any feeling in her lower body when she first woke up because of bruising to her spinal cord or something?"

"Yeah, Sam, he did. That's why the neurologist and the other doctor are in there checking her over now, but there's also the possibility that the blood supply to her spinal column was compromised for too long and the paralysis is permanent."

"How long will it be before they know for sure one way or the other?"

"Don't know, Mike. Guess we'll find out once the doctors are through examining her."

"Well, children, whatever happens, we all need to be strong for both Lana and Chin, so I want tears, including mine, dried up immediately and positive thoughts in everyone's heads. And that _is_ a direct order."

"Yes, Ma'am."

(And within minutes of everyone doing their best to comply with Libby's "direct order", a doctor none of them have seen before steps into the waiting room.)

"Good evening. I'm Dr. Warren, a neurologist here at the hospital. I understand you're all friends, or should I say, 'family members' of Lana's. She asked me to come speak with you and give you some more detailed information concerning her condition. Both I and Dr. Miller, a vascular specialist, have examined Lana and we've ordered several tests. We've also spoken with her surgeon, Dr. Adams, about exactly what transpired during the surgery to repair the tear to her aorta and how long the blood supply to her spinal cord was compromised. In addition to the trauma she sustained from the accident, there is also the additional trauma associated with the surgery itself to consider. At first glance, it appears that every possible precaution was taken to ensure there would be no permanent damage to the spinal column. Of course, we'll know more after we get the test results back. The bottom line is that, at this point, we simply don't know if the paralysis she is experiencing is a temporary issue due to swelling around the spinal column or permanent. As I said, we should have a clearer picture of things once we get the test results back, but I simply cannot give anyone, including Lana, a definitive answer at this point as to her prognosis."

"Dr. Warren, if the paralysis is due to swelling, can you tell us how long it might be before she regains feeling?"

"No, Ma'am. Each patient is different in the manner in which they respond to treatment, and, because of the tear to her aorta, we're going to have to approach the way we treat the swelling to her spinal column differently. I'm sorry, I wish I could give you definite answers, but we're just going to have to wait and see what happens over the next few days and weeks. For what it's worth, I'm a strong believer in the power of prayer, positive attitudes, and a strong support system. After talking with Lana and her fiancé, and what I'm seeing with my own eyes, there's no shortage of any of that here. I've instructed the nurses in the unit to allow each of you in to see Lana for a few minutes this evening. Normally, that wouldn't be the case, but I believe it would do her a world of good. Just don't stay too long and be positive. Lana's mental and emotional states are going to be very important to her recovery whether the paralysis is permanent or not."

"Thank you, Dr. Warren, and I promise you that the children, my husband, and I won't overstay our welcome."

(After the doctor leaves, it is decided that the guys should go in first because it is going to take the ladies a few minutes to get rid of the evidence they've been crying. One by one, starting with Tony and ending with Libby, the group goes in and spends a few minutes with Lana and Chin. After her initial panicked reaction to waking up and discovering she had no feeling in her lower body, Lana is remarkably calm as is Chin. Not a single person who goes in to see her misses the fact that Lana's uninjured right hand is clasped firmly in both of Chin's and he is as close to her as he can get given she is lying in a hospital bed attached to various tubes and wires. Once everyone has had a chance to visit with Lana, they all head home to try and get some much-needed rest themselves. Once Lana and Chin are alone, a single tear slowly slides down her face as she looks at Chin and sees the love and devotion in his eyes.)

"Chin, if. . . If the paralysis is permanent, I. . . "

"_If_ that turns out to be the case, _we_ will deal with it, Lana. Right now, we're going to concentrate on you following the doctor's orders, to the letter, so you can recover. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. . . Ever. You're stuck with me whether you want to be or not, so don't even think about trying to push me away."

"Chin. ."

"I mean it, Lana. _You_ are the only woman I want whether the paralysis turns out to be permanent or not."

"Chin . ."

"I love you and we_ are_ going to spend the rest of our lives together. Understand?"

"Yes, you silly, sweet man, I understand perfectly. If you had given me a chance to say anything before you launched into your little tirade, I would have told you that, if the paralysis is permanent, I'm so grateful to have you in my life because anything, even that, is bearable as long as I have you."


	34. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 9, 2011**

(Kono is very quiet on the way home from the hospital and Tony is more than a little worried about his wife. Sitting up all night in the waiting room of a hospital, comfortable though the couches and chairs might be, is not conducive to his nearly seven months' pregnant wife getting the rest she and their baby need. Kono looks a little pale and there are shadows beneath her eyes. Glancing over at her as they are stopped at a traffic light, Tony sees that her head is resting on the headrest and her eyes are closed and realizes that, regardless of what she says, she's exhausted. When he first got to the hospital this evening, Libby pulled him aside and assured him that she had made sure Kono had eaten during the day so he doesn't have to worry about that, but he's still concerned.)

"You want to stop somewhere and get some dinner?"

"No, I want to go home, crawl into our bed, and sleep for a week."

"You need to eat, Babe."

"I know. Okay, how about we stop and get some take out from that Chinese place we like?"

"We can do that. . . And then, after we've gotten home and eaten, you can go ahead and have a good, long cry. In fact, K, you can go ahead and start now if you want to."

"How do you know I want to have a good, long cry?"

"'Cause I know you, Sweetheart. You've been there for Chin since last night; solid as a rock, never faltering, but now, . . Now, you need to get rid of some of that stress that's been building up inside for the past twenty hours so, if you want to go ahead and get started, feel free."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, K."

"Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"If it's okay with you, I think I'll wait until we get home before I start my crying jag 'cause I want your arms around me when I do."

"Works for me, Sweetheart."

(Caroline and Danny are both exhausted when they get home and decide to forego dinner in favor of sleep. Once they're actually lying in their bed, however, they both discover that, although they are physically worn out, they're unable to go to sleep. Moments after turning off the light on his bedside table, Danny turns it back on and stares at a spot on the wall.)

"I can't sleep."

"Neither can I. . . . What did you and Steve find out about the guy who hit Lana?"

"Nothing more than what we already knew."

"Tell me he's not going to get away with this, Danny."

"I wish I could, Caroline."

"Are you telling me this guy could actually get away with what he's done to Lana?"

"It's complicated, Caroline."

"The bastard got drunk, ran a red light, and may have put Lana in a wheel chair for the rest of her life, and you're telling me he may get away with it? Just what are you and Steve doing about this, anyway?"

"Nothing. The Governor promised the District Attorney that Five-0 would not become involved in the investigation because of Chin's relationship to Lana."

"And you're just going to sit back and do nothing to make sure this guy gets what he deserves?"

"We're going to let H.P.D. run the investigation and then see what charges the D.A.'s office files, but we are not just sitting back and doing nothing. Steve and I spent most of the day running backgrounds and financials on Powell and his family."

"What good's that going to do?"

"It can't hurt."

(Sam and Steve finish off the rest of the spaghetti when they get home and Sam takes a long, hot soak in the tub at Steve's suggestion while he cleans up the kitchen. She finishes off the glass of wine her sweet husband brought up to her while she was soaking in the tub, quickly dries off and slips on a midnight blue lace nightgown, and slips into bed just as Steve comes upstairs after locking up for the night. Giving Sam a soft kiss on the forehead, Steve takes a quick shower and finds his wife fast asleep by the time he slides into the bed and pulls her into his arms. . . .

_Artificial light from the florescent fixtures overhead reflects off the exposed steam pipes running the length of the endlessly long hallway as she slowly walks deeper and deeper into the basement of the hospital. The scents of antiseptics, harsh cleansers and human blood assail her nostrils and the moans of pain and suffering follow her with every step she takes. At the end of the long hallway, a single, overly wide door looms before her; almost as if it's daring her to push it open and step through it into her own, personal Hell. _

"_No. . Please, I don't want. . . I can't! . . . ."_

"_You have to do this, Miss Murdock. If you don't, we can't bring the man responsible to justice."_

"_Aunt Libby, please!"_

"_I'm right here, Sweetheart. I'm here."_

_The sheet-covered stretchers stand before her. The NCIS agent's hand at the small of her back pushes her forward until she is touching the cold steel. Hands reach out in slow motion and grasp the two sheets covering the bodies lying on the stretchers._

"_Oh, God, please don't make me do this!"_

"_It will only take a moment, Miss Murdock."_

"_For the love of God, can't you see what this is doing to her?"_

"_I'm sorry, Mrs. Thrasher, but it has to be done."_

_The sheets move down . . . Sweet Jesus! _

_Hideous gashes criss-cross the gray, mottled skin of their faces. Flaps of skin lie open to expose the tissue and bone underneath. Shards of thick glass are embedded in the skin of what's left of their faces and necks. Her father's dead eyes, wide open and staring straight at her._

"_No! Oh, God, please, no!"_

"Sam! Baby, wake up! Come on, Sweetheart! I'm here, I've got you!"

(Sam finally becomes aware that she was caught up in a nightmare and realizes that Steve is holding her tightly and trying to talk her down from the hysterical state elicited by the dream. He is rocking her back and forth and stroking her hair while holding her close and talking to her; his voice more gentle now. She is shaking like a leaf, tears are running down her face unchecked, and she clings to her husband's warm, strong body for dear life. After several minutes, Sam is much calmer and her trembling has subsided for the most part. Steve eases both of them back down so she is lying in his arms with her head on his chest and his arms are around her holding her tightly.)

"Promise me, Steve. Promise me you will not allow Edward Powell to get away with hurting Lana. Promise me."

"I promise you that I will do everything within my power to make sure he's brought to justice, Sam."


	35. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 9, 2011**

(The nurses in S.I.C.U. make sure that Chin has plenty of pillows and blankets, and even though the quasi-recliner in Lana's room is not the most comfortable place to spend the night, it is better than a regular chair, and they also make sure that he will receive a tray when the patients' meals are sent up. He thanks them for their caring and they all, to a one, politely explain that Lana is one of their own and, of course, they're going to take care of her "honey". Chin wakes up every so often during the long night to check on Lana because, even though she is in Intensive Care and is being taken care of by her co-workers and friends, he needs to reassure himself that she's doing as well as she can be given the circumstances. By the time Libby Thrasher arrives at seven o'clock the next morning, Chin, quite frankly, looks like death warmed over and is exhausted. Both Lana and Libby tell him, in no uncertain terms, that he needs to go home, get a few hours' sleep, take a shower, get a decent meal in him, and then he may come back. When he tries to protest, Lana tells him, point blank, that she will ask that he be banned from the unit until he complies with her request. Deciding that he is totally incapable of standing up to both Lana _and_ Libby, Chin finally gives in and, kissing both ladies on the cheek, promises he will be back in a few hours. Once they are alone, the smile slips off Lana's face and Libby sees the fear and uncertainty in the younger woman's eyes. Pulling her chair up closer to the side of Lana's bed, Libby takes Lana's uninjured hand in hers and looks her directly in the eye.)

"All right, dear, he's gone. You may feel free to cry, rant, rave, take a nap, or whatever else you've really wanted to do since you first woke up and discovered what's happened to you. I'm going to sit right here with you, and I'm going to listen, discuss, wipe your tears away, or just hold your hand."

"You are a truly amazing woman, Libby."

"Amazing? In what way, dear?"

"You've been through so much heartache and pain in your life; faced such incredible challenges that would drive most people mad, and yet, you've come through every terrible thing that's happened in your life a stronger person and you're always there whenever anyone needs you. You always have a loving, warm smile on your face and you open your heart to those who are hurting. I think you're an angel on Earth."

"What an incredibly sweet thing to say, Lana."

"It's true, Libby! You've been there countless times for all or us; for Sam, Steve, Caroline, Danny, Kono, Tony, Chin, me. . . You are simply amazing."

"I consider all of you to be 'my children' whether you actually are or not, Lana. As I've said before, Mike and I wanted a whole house full of little ones, but God had another plan for us. Well, we finally have our 'houseful'; it just took us longer than most people to get all of you. Now, let's stop trying to avoid the issue, shall we?"

"Am I that transparent? I truly did mean everything I just said to you."

"I know you did, but, yes, I'm on to your avoidance tactics. I know you must be scared to death, and there's no one else here, dear, it's just you and me. You don't have to keep up that brave façade any longer; at least, not for the moment."

(And with those simple words, Lana's dark eyes begin to fill with tears and her lower lip starts to quiver. She clutches Libby's and with hers and looks down at her blanket covered legs for a moment before, once again, raising her gaze to Libby's; her expression one of abject fear, and her voice stilted and stumbling with tears.)

"I. . . I'm so. . .Scared, Libby. . . What if the . . Paralysis is. . .Permanent? What if . . If I nev. . never regain feeling in my legs? Chin to. . . Told me last night that. . It wouldn't ma. . Make any difference, but. . . How can I saddle him with a. . . Cripple for the rest of his life?"

"First of all, we don't know if the paralysis is permanent or not. Every doctor that I've spoken with has said it could take several weeks before a determination on your prognosis can realistically be made, so let's not put the cart before the horse. Secondly, if the paralysis _is_ permanent, you are _not_ the kind of person to let it stop you or even slow you down. Yes, it will mean that you're going to have to make some major lifestyle changes, and, yes, it won't be easy, but you're young, strong, and a fighter. You will make the necessary adjustments because it's simply not in your nature to do otherwise. And as far as 'saddling' Chin with a cripple for the rest of his life? Lana, dear, that man loves you and wild horses couldn't drag him away from you, so you really don't have much choice in the matter."

"But, what if I can't. . . Can't. . ."

"Oh, Lana, sweetheart, physical intimacy _is_ a part of a truly loving relationship between a man and a woman, but it isn't the only ingredient for a successful marriage! How many patients have you cared for who, for whatever reasons, were paralyzed? How many of these same patients were married? Did their spouses leave them; divorce them because of their condition? Of course not! When you love someone with all your heart, you want to be with them no matter what; that's the way Chin loves you. Don't make the mistake of trying to be noble and push him away, because, for one thing, it won't work, and, for another, neither of you truly want to be apart. Now, you must keep a positive attitude and do exactly what the doctors tell you to do so that you can recover from this horrible accident. One of the nurses told me as I came in this morning that they're going to start physical therapy exercises in a few days so that your muscles won't weaken and you'll be ready to get up and start walking once the feeling returns to your legs. I'll be right here with you every stop of the way, dear, and we're going to work very diligently to make sure you're ready when the time comes. All right?"

"Okay, and. . . Thank you, Libby. It means a great deal to me for you to be here."


	36. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 10, 2011**

(Knowing that Libby Thrasher is sitting with Lana and figuring that Libby is just what Lana needs at the moment, Chin decides to do exactly as Lana asked him to and get some sleep and some solid food before returning to the hospital. He also decides to stop by the Five-0 offices on his way back to the hospital to see what, if any, new developments have come up. When he gets there, he finds Steve, Danny, and Kono in her office having a discussion about something; irritated expressions on their faces. Kono is sitting behind her desk absently rubbing slow, gentle circles over her baby bump, Danny is sitting back in one of the comfortable chairs near her desk, and Steve is leaning against her desk with his arms and legs crossed at the ankles. Steve's frown disappears as Chin enters his cousin's office and Kono and Danny put on more pleasant expressions, as well.)

"Hey, Cuz, how's Lana doing today?"

"A little better than she was last night. Libby came sailing through the door of Lana's room at seven o'clock this morning and they both ordered me to go home, take a nap, get some decent food, and take a little break. I'm on my way back up to the hospital right now, but thought I'd stop by and see what's going on."

"Nothing much. We've run background and financials on Edward Powell, III and his immediate family, but they're clean as whistles."

"Yeah, Danny, I figured they probably would be. . . Steve, I was so upset last night that I wasn't really thinking straight. I wanted to ask you, . . What ever happened to the guy who hit Sam's parents?"

(Steve's frown returns and he glances uneasily at Kono and Danny before returning his attention to Chin. Steve knows his answer is going to upset Chin, but what choice does he have? Sooner or later, Chin will find out, and Steve decides it would be better coming from him now rather than Chin running across it down the road and becoming even angrier than he is already.)

"You remember Sam saying the guy who hit her parents was an aide to a sitting United States Senator at the time of the accident, right?"

"Yeah. Please don't tell me the guy got off."

"The Senator pulled some strings and, well, the guy basically got five hundred hours of community service."

"He caused the deaths of two innocent people because he was driving drunk and all he got was community service?"

"Yeah. His record was spotless up until the accident, so the judge basically let him off with a slap on the hand. He's now married to the Senator's daughter and is a very successful attorney with a prestigious law firm in Baltimore."

"Let me get this straight. This guy gets drunk at a party, gets behind the wheel of a car, hits Sam's folks head on and kills them, and, because he works for a high-powered politician who pulled some strings for him, he gets to walk away with basically no punishment? He gets to get married, have kids, get a great job, and lives happily ever after while two innocent people died and their daughter has to live with the horror of what happened to them every, single day?"

"Come on, Chin, you know as well as I do that things like this happen every day. No, it's not fair, but that's the way the criminal justice system in this country works sometimes."

"Well, _that's_ _not_ going to happen in this case! Edward Powell, III is going to pay for what he's done to Lana if I have to take care of it myself!"

"Hey, the last thing Lana needs right now is for you to go off on some vigilante quest! Danny, Kono, and I are going to keep a close eye on the investigation, but the Governor has give me a direct order that Five-0 is to stay out of it; at least, for now."

"And you're just going to do it?"

"For now, but I promise you that we're going to be watching H.P.D.'s investigators carefully. If they screw up or don't actively pursue filing charges against Powell, we'll step in and take over the investigation."

"Steve's right, Chin. The very last thing Lana needs right now is for you to start acting like a jerk. You need to stay calm and be there for her and let us worry about Powell."

"I _will_ be there for Lana, Danny, but Powell needs to be behind bars. If you all can't make that happen; I will."

(Before Steve, Danny, or Kono can respond, Chin turns on his heel and walks rapidly out of Kono's office.)

"_That_ went well."

"What'd you expect, Danny? Chin's angry and scared. He wants to strike out at someone, and I don't blame him."

"Nor do I, Kono, but he can't do Lana any good if _he's_ in jail!"

(Chin's anger is simmering just below the surface and his is having a difficult time keeping it together. The urge to go straight to Powell's house and put his fist through the guy's face is nearly overwhelming, but both Steve's and Danny's words come back to him and he reluctantly admits they're right. By the time he reaches the hospital and is in the elevator on the way up the S.I.C.U., he has managed to rein in his anger and frustration and put a somewhat passable smile on his face. Stepping into Lana's room, he immediately realizes that she and Libby have come to some kind of understanding because Lana's expression is slightly more relaxed than it was when he left earlier.

**A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing; I can't begin to tell you how much your kind words mean to me! I'm sorry I haven't been posting as frequently as I usually do, but I've been a bit under the weather for the past few days. Feeling a little better now, so, hopefully, I'll be able to post a little quicker. Again, thank you all so much for reading my work! Michelle**


	37. Chapter 37

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 10, 2011**

(Libby excuses herself saying that, since Chin is back and appears to have gotten some rest, she's going to leave so the two of them can have some time alone. Kissing Lana on the cheek and giving Chin a hug and kiss, as well, she collects her things and tells them both she'll see them later that evening. Once she's gone, Chin kisses Lana quickly and resumes his seat in the chair next to her bed taking her hand in his.)

"You're looking like you feel a little better; are you?"

"I am. Libby and I had a really nice visit while you were gone. She's an amazing person."

"That she is. We're all very lucky to have her in our lives."

"You look a little better than you did, too. I'm glad you got some sleep and something to eat. You know, you don't have to sit here with me all day and night, Chin. I'm a big girl and I have the best nurses in the world taking care of me."

"I know that, but I'm not going anywhere. I need to be here, Lana; as much for myself as for you; okay?"

"Okay. . . Chin, I haven't really asked a lot of questions about the accident because, well, waking up and finding I don't have any feelings in the lower half of my body has kept me from thinking about anything else, but . . I want to know what happened. All of it."

"Lana, I'm not sure this it the best time to. .'

"I am. Tell me, Chin, please."

"A drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned you. There was an off-duty H.P.D. detective sitting in the turn lane and he witnessed the whole thing. He said the guy was flying like a bat out of Hell; never even tried to stop until he was almost on top of you. A traffic camera a quarter of a mile from the intersection clocked him at sixty miles per hour in a thirty-five mile per hour zone. The impact sent both vehicles spinning and your Jeep turned over onto the right side with the other vehicle, an SUV, coming to rest on top of you. They had to cut you out of your car by going in through the roof."

"What about the other driver?. . . Chin, what about the other driver?"

"The other driver was drunk, Lana. His only injuries are a few scratches."

"Was there anyone with him?"

"No, he was alone."

"Thank God. And you're sure he's all right?"

"He's fine, Lana. He's probably already replaced his SUV and is playing golf at the country club by now. Although, if I could get my hands on him, I'd . ."

"You'd what, Chin? What would you do?"

"I'd make sure that he understands exactly what he did and that he never forgets that he hurt someone; hurt you!"

"So, you'd act like an idiot because he did? What possible good would that do, Chin? Would it get me out of this hospital bed? Would it give me the feeling back in my legs? Would it make me walk?"

"No."

"No. . . I love you, Chin, please promise me that you won't do anything. . . Really stupid in some misguided attempt to get revenge. I need you now more than I ever have, so. . . Promise me, please."

"All right, Lana. I promise you that I won't go after this guy, but I am going to do everything I can to make sure he's punished in a court of law."

"I know you will, and I want him to be punished. I just want it done the right way."

(After the nightmare she had the night before about identifying her parents' bodies, Sam didn't sleep very well for the rest of the night even though Steve held her tightly all night long. Every time she'd nod off, she'd see her parents lying on those stretchers in the morgue at Bethesda. She's spent the majority of her day, including working through lunch, on trying to finish a report that's due to Washington in two days' time, so it's a welcomed relief when Caroline knocks on her doorframe. Glancing up, Sam sends a smile her sister's way and motions her into the office.)

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing, but no one's seen you all day, so I thought I'd come by and make sure you were still breathing."

"Funny. I'm trying to get my part of this report completed so I can give it to Adm. Henderson when he gets back this afternoon."

"Ah. I talked to Mom a little while ago. She spent most of the morning at the hospital with Lana."

"Yeah? How is Lana?"

"Scared, worried. God, Sam, I can't imagine going through something like that. I mean, when we were shot down awhile back and I couldn't see when I woke up . . Well, I've never been more scared in my entire life; except when I thought I'd driven Danny away for good. At least the doctors were reasonably sure that I'd get my sight back. Poor Lana doesn't have a clue."

"Which is exactly why we're all going to have to be here for her and Chin until she does get the feeling back in her legs and can get back up to full speed."

"And if that doesn't happen?"

"Then we'll still be here for both of them. Hey, have you seen Thorne today?"

"Yeah, I saw him over in the maintenance hangar about an hour ago, why?"

"One of his pilots came to see me earlier; said he needed to talk to me about a 'concern' he had with Thorne, but Adm. Walters called from the Pentagon before we could talk. By the time I finished the call with Adm. Walters, Lt. Taylor only had about five minutes before he was due at the hospital for a flight physical. I was just wondering if you knew if something was up."

"With Thorne something's always up. I'll keep my ears open."

"Yeah, okay, thanks. . Hey, I haven't talked to Steve yet, but would you and Danny be up for having dinner at Wolfgang's tonight? I really don't want to have to deal with cooking and cleaning up after I go by the hospital this evening."

"Let me talk to Danny. . . Sam, you need to let the Thorne thing go. The man knows exactly how to push your buttons and you're letting him."

"He's not pushing my buttons, Caroline."

"Yeah, he is. A crew from the Forrestal was here this morning picking up a replacement bird and the RIO's a friend of mine. He said the Forrestal's Air Group is all abuzz about how Thorne screwed up the simulation flight schedule yesterday. He also said the CAG was fit to be tied and wanted to write Thorne up."

"I talked with Capt. Deavers yesterday and asked him not to write Thorne up; told him I'd deal with him."

"Sam, if you'd let Capt. Deavers write him up, that would have given you some ammunition."

"Ammunition for what, Caroline? Look, I will deal with Thorne; it's my job. Just, . . Let it go, please?"

"Okay, Sam, but watch your back. Thorne's got it in for you."


	38. Chapter 38

**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 10, 2011**

(After visiting with Lana and Chin at the hospital for a little while, Sam, Steve, Caroline, and Danny have dinner at Wolfgang's Steakhouse for some "down time" they all desperately need. After they've ordered and have drinks sitting in front of them, they simply look at one another for a couple of moments. Not even Danny has a smart assed comment to offer. Caroline, although she advised Sam to "let the Thorne thing" go, brings it up so Steve and Danny can weigh in with their opinions.)

"Two of the mechanics caught Thorne behind one of the maintenance hangars on his cellular phone again, Sam. Said he ended the call and glared at them when they walked around a corner and saw him."

"Making a phone call's not a crime, Caroline."

"And how many times has he been 'making a phone call' when he was supposed to be somewhere else doing something else, Sam?"

"Is there a point to this?"

"Yes. Joel Thorne's up to something and, whatever that 'something' is, it can't be good."

"You know what? I am so thoroughly sick and tired of Joel Thorne I could scream! I'm sick of having to constantly hear about him, I'm sick of having to constantly smooth feathers he's ruffled, I'm sick of having to spend an inordinate amount of time talking superior officers out of writing his six up, and I'm sick of everyone telling me Thorne's up to something!"

(Sam's voice has been getting more strained with every word she utters, and, although she never raises her voice above a conversational level, it's quite obvious to her husband, sister, and brother-in-law that she's furious. Her voice is shaking with that anger, and her whole body is trembling with fury. Grabbing the linen napkin in her lap, Sam throws it on the table and jumps up to stride out to the deck just off the dining room. For just a moment, no one so much as moves a muscle, but Steve finally gets up and follows her outside leaving Caroline and Danny sitting at the table.)

"You just had to bring that moron up, didn't you, Caroline?"

"Yes, Danny, I did. Sam seems to think that Joel Thorne is nothing more than a difficult officer who gets his kicks out of tormenting everyone at the base especially her. If I thought that's all it really was, I'd let it go, but I, and several other people, think it's more than that. Joel Thorne is mad as Hell because Sam got the promotion and he didn't, and I honestly believe he's trying to do something to hurt my sister!"

"You can't fight Sam's battles for her, Caroline. She's a big girl and she can take care of herself."

"You don't get it, do you?"

"Yeah, I get it. Thorne wants Sam's job."

"Yes, he wants Sam's job, Danny, but he also wants to hurt Sam! I think he wants to ruin her career! You think I'm going to stand by and let him do that?"

"Caroline, again, Sam's a big girl and she's not stupid. She's also a good officer or they wouldn't have given her the promotion in the first place. I know you love her, Gorgeous, but this is one battle you're going to have to let her fight on her own."

(Steve steps out onto the deck and spies Sam standing at the railing staring off into the distance. The lemon yellow linen dress she's wearing accents her bronzed skin and compliments her golden blonde hair and her long, tanned legs are emphasized by the matching pumps gracing her feet. She looks so beautiful, yet so forlorn standing there with her palms resting on the railing. Walking up to stand beside her, Steve puts his hands down next to hers and waits; knowing that, if his wife wants to talk about it, she will, and, if not, she knows he's there for her. After several minutes, she turns slightly toward him so that she's partially leaning on a corner post and releases a soft sigh.)

"I'm sorry, Steve. I definitely should not have jumped up and run out of there like I did. I just. . . I just had to get out of there for a few minutes."

"It's okay, Sam, we all need some space every now and then."

"Adm. Henderson wanted to transfer Thorne months ago and I talked him out of it. I thought. . . I thought that, given enough time, Thorne could be a good officer, a good leader, but now. . . There isn't a day that goes by that at least one member of his squadron or maintenance crew isn't in my office requesting a transfer, Steve. Every time I turn around, Thorne's sneaking off to make phone calls, or yelling at Senior Chief Evans for no reason, or rearranging his flight crews unnecessarily, or . . . God, I don't know what to do anymore."

"Yes, you do, Sam. You haven't gotten much sleep the past few nights so you're tired, you're worried about Lana and Chin, you relived the day your parents died, so, no, you're not exactly at your best right now, but you do know what you need to do. I have absolutely no doubt that you will deal with Thorne, and any problems he causes, in the calm, level-headed way you always do, and you'll make the right decisions." (He pulls her into his strong arms and begins to rub her back gently.) "You can't let this guy win, Beautiful."

"I don't plan to, Sailor, I just need a little break."

"Hey, you've got two whole days off after tomorrow. How about we take your parents' boat out and spend the weekend on the water?"

"I'd love to spend the weekend on the boat with you, Steve, but I think we should stay close to home until Lana's out of the woods, don't you think?"

"There it is again; one of the reasons I love you, Sam. You always put other people's needs before your own."


	39. Chapter 39

**CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 10, 2011**

(Sam is calmer and in a slightly better mood when she and Steve walk back inside the restaurant and rejoin Caroline and Danny. Before she sits down in the chair Steve is holding for her, Sam leans over and gives her sister a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before sitting down and offering Caroline a small smile.)

"I'm sorry I jumped up and ran out of here, guys, but I really had just about as much of Joel Thorne and all the problems that come with him as I can stand.)

"I know you have, Sam, but you're my sister and I love you. I don't want anything Thorne says or does to cause problems for you."

"I love you, too, Caroline, and I appreciate your concern, but, unfortunately, Thorne is my problem to deal with; mine and Adm. Henderson's."

"Then let Henderson transfer him, Sam. We'll all be a lot better off once he's gone."

"As a matter of fact, I was going to talk to Adm. Henderson about Thorne this afternoon, but there were a few things he needed to deal with that took priority over one, problem pilot. I will be talking with him in the morning, though, and Thorne's transfer is at the top of my list."

"Good."

(After everyone has visited and left for the evening, Lana and Chin settle back to watch a movie she's wanted to see on the television in her room. Chin is kicked back in the reclining chair that's pulled up to the side of Lana's bed and their joined hands lie on top of the bed covers as they watch the first few minutes of the movie in silence. During the first commercial break, Lana glances over and can't help but smile; it's obvious that Chin is suffering through the "chick flick" but he's doing so without one word of complaint.)

"Thank you."

"For?"

"For watching a 'chick flick' with me. I can tell that you'd rather be watching anything else so, thank you."

"You're welcome, and there's no place I'd rather be than right here with you."

"Dr. Warren came by just before you got here. He said that things are looking good with the surgery to repair the tear in my aorta and that, if all continues to go well, they're going to have Physical Therapy start coming in twice a day to exercise my legs."

"Good. If they'll show me what to do, I can help with that; I _want_ to help with that."

"Maybe later on but, for right now, let's allow the professionals to take care of it. It's not that I don't trust you or think you can't do it, but I'd rather have you holding my hand during the therapy, okay?"

"Whatever you want, Lana."

"He also said they're going to do some repeat tests and x-rays in a couple of days to make sure everything's okay and the swelling's going down in my spinal cord."

"Okay. Stay positive, Honey, everything's going to be okay."

"I know, but I want to _walk_ down the aisle at our wedding; not roll. Mike Thrasher has already agreed to give me away and I want to hold his arm instead of him pushing my wheelchair."

"And you're just stubborn enough to make that happen."

"Hey!"

"It was a compliment, Lana, and a statement of my unwavering faith in your ability to overcome this injury."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

(For the first time in several days, Kono and Tony are actually at home and have eaten dinner at a reasonable hour. Kono is lying on one of the sofas in their den watching television, but she keeps shifting and changing positions trying to get comfortable. Knowing she's been more stressed that usual the past few days, Tony goes into their bedroom and returns with a bottle of her favorite lotion. Sitting on the end of the sofa and pulling her feet into his lap, he pours some of the lotion in his hands and proceeds to gently and slowly massage her feet. The look on her face is priceless and she emits a low groan of pure pleasure.)

'Oh my God, that feels so good!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Our child has shown me no mercy today. I think Gracie's right; it's a boy."

"What makes you think we're having a boy?"

"Because it's just like a male to have to be doing something all the time instead of taking a nap every now and then and letting his mother get some rest!"

"Maybe _she's_ going to be a surfer and a police officer like her mother."

"_She_ may be the first female SEAL."

"Wow, that's a mind-boggling thought."

"Why? Because you think women can't make it through BUD/S?"

"I didn't say that. There's just never been any women who've applied."

"Because you men have strongly discouraged it. If a woman did get into a BUD/S class, I can guarantee you that she would be treated twice as harshly as any of the male candidates. . . Oh! There he goes again!"

"Are you sure the baby's just kicking, K? I mean, you're not having labor pains or anything, are you?"

"No, I am not having labor pains. The little guy's just kicking like crazy. . . Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"Not that there's anything either of us can do about it, but do you want a girl or a boy?"

"I want a healthy baby and a safe delivery, K. As long as you and our baby are okay, I'm good with either a son or a daughter."

"Yeah, me, too."


	40. Chapter 40

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 11, 2011**

(Over the course of the next few days, several things happen: Sam meets with Admiral Henderson and they discuss transferring Lt. Joel Commander Joel Thorne, Lana continues to recover quite well from the surgery and her physical therapy begins to prevent the muscles in her legs from atrophying, and the accident investigators from H.P.D. continue to look into the accident in preparation of filing formal charges against Edward Powell, III. His high-powered attorney, however, is pushing the District Attorney's office for an early trial date on the DUI and reckless driving charges. Lana's insurance company has their own investigator looking into the accident, and their attorneys are pushing for criminal charges. It's a sticky situation all the way around, and likely to become more difficult before all is said and done. Libby continues to spend a good part of each day at the hospital with Lana so that Chin can have a break if he'd like one, and she continues to encourage both Lana and Chin. Adm. Henderson tells Sam that Thorne's transfer is imminent and that he's waiting for final approval of Thorne's new duty station, but promises that he'll know something definite soon. Lana is making excellent progress and all is seemingly well. Ten days after the accident, Lana is finally moved out of S.I.C.U. and into a private room, and her spirits are high. Joel Thorne has actually been behaving, almost as if he senses that he's, perhaps, pushed things a little too far. Everything is going quite well until Lt. Cmdr. Ben Radner is injured when there is a problem with his aircraft and he breaks his leg in the ensuing crash landing. Of course, everyone is extremely grateful that a broken leg is all that Radner suffered, but it also means that Thorne's departure from Pearl will be delayed indefinitely. Fortunately, Thorne's trip to Washington is coming up shortly and that means he'll be gone for at least six days. Sam arrives at the hospital the evening before Thorne is scheduled to leave for Oceana to see Lana and she is in an extremely good mood. The room is pretty much packed as Steve, Danny, Caroline, Kono, Tony, Chin, Mike and Libby are already there, they're all smiling, and Lana looks very excited.)

"Hey, you all look like you just won the lottery. What's up?"

"I felt something in my right, little toe today when the doctor came in to examine me, Sam!"

"Oh my God, so you have some feeling in your legs?"

"Just my little toe right now, but it's a very encouraging sign. It means the swelling's going down, and, hopefully, the paralysis will gradually go away."

"The paralysis _will_ go away and my beautiful bride will finally walk down the aisle at our wedding."

"And we're going to have that wedding just as soon as I recover and the doctors let me out of here. And speaking of our wedding, you might want to call the dress shop and have them hold off on altering your dress, Kono. I'm going to work very hard to get well, but I have a feeling you might, um, be a little bigger than you are right now before the wedding."

"Just as long as you don't get lazy, Lana. Otherwise, I might have the baby at your wedding."

"Well, hey, kill two birds with one stone, have a wedding and a baptism at the same time."

"Danny!"

"What? None of us would ever forget Lana's and Chin's anniversary or Baby Montgomery's birthday."

"That's for sure."

"Steve!"

"It would be convenient."

"Tony!"

"Efficient, too, Lieutenant."

"Mike!"

(And Lana is laughing as heartily as possible given her physical condition at the playful back and forth banter between their friends. For the first time in days, she really and truly feels that she'll recover fully from her injuries. Of course, the doctors warned her that, although she had feeling in her little toe this afternoon, that might be it; that they still need to wait and see what happens over the course of the next few days, but Lana fully intends to allow herself these few moments of pleasure with her friends; her family. After Caroline, Sam, Kono, and Libby all chastised their husbands, Lana feels duty-bound to the sisterhood to follow suit, and looks over at Chin with an expectant expression on her face which totally confuses the poor man.)

"What?"

"I'm waiting for you to make a smart-assed comment so I can yell at you, too."

"Not me. I know better."

"Damn. Do you ladies believe this? They're not even married yet and Lana's already got him trained. Took me forever to train Danny."

"Hey!"

"Come on, Romeo, you are so wrapped and you know it so you might as well admit it."

"She's got you there, Danny."

"Yeah, well, Sam had you wrapped from the get go, boy genius."

"Yeah, she did; still does. Always and forever."

(And when not only Sam, but all the ladies look at Steve with "awwww" expressions on their faces, Danny decides he can get more mileage out of the situation.)

"You had to go and say that out loud; in front of my wife, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah. And my sister-in-law is correct; you are also wrapped, so just admit it."

"Yeah, Danny, I mean, I'm totally wrapped and I freely admit it."

"Me, too, Son."

(And when Steve, Tony, and Mike all gang up on him, Danny clutches his chest in mock agony and makes a face.)

"I'm wounded! I cannot believe you guys have gone over to the 'dark side'."

"Oh, stop, Romeo, you love being wrapped."

(And Lana is giggling again as is just about everyone else. Finally, Libby sees that Lana is tiring and shoos everyone out of her room. When it's just Lana and Chin, he sits on the side of her bed and leans over to give her a kiss. When he pulls back, he is somewhat surprised to see fear lurking in her eyes.)

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. . I'm okay."

"No you're not. Tell me, Honey. What's wrong."

"I'm afraid, Chin. What if . . . What if my little toe is the only part of me that regains feeling?"

"Then we'll deal with it. We're going to get through this; together, and, no matter what, we are going to get married. Understand?"

"Yeah. . I love you."


	41. Chapter 41

**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 12, 2011**

(On the way home from the hospital, Danny notices that his wife keeps giving him surreptitious little glances and smiles, and, finally, he can't stand it any longer.)

"Okay. What's with the looks?" 

"What looks?"

"The ones you keep sending my way along with a little smile here and there."

"All right. I think it was terribly sweet."

"What was 'terribly sweet'?"

"How you went out of your way to make Lana laugh tonight."

"I didn't do anything."

"Yes, you did. Or, are you not going to admit that, either?"

"Yeah, okay. I figured it would do Lana, and Chin, and all of us good to lighten up a little."

"You figured right, Romeo. . . I love you, Danny."

"Love you, too, Gorgeous, and, hey, we don't have to go to the grocery store tonight."

"No we don't. . Why aren't we home yet, Romeo?"

(Kono is more relaxed than she's been in days and Tony is relieved to see it. Although he's kept it to himself, he's been worried about her being upset over Chin and Lana and how that worry is affecting their baby. Fortunately, there doesn't appear to have been any harm done and his beautiful wife is smiling again.)

"Leave it to Danny to throw out a smart-assed comment and lighten the mood."

"Don't pick on Danny, Tony, he did a good thing. He had everybody, including Lana, laughing."

"I'm not picking on him, K, I agree with you. We all needed a little comic relief after the last week or so. . . Hey, Lana's going to be just fine, and she and Chin are going to get married. Maybe not as soon as they'd originally thought, but it is going to happen."

"I know. So, I've been thinking, we really do need to get serious about naming the baby, Tony."

"Yeah, I guess we do. So, you have any favorites?"

"Well, if the baby is a boy, I thought we could name him Eric Kekoa. Eric after you and your father, and Kekoa is a Hawaiian name that means 'brave one'."

"'Eric Kekoa Montgomery'. I like it, K, and, yeah, you know our kid's gonna be brave. What if it's a girl?"

"I was thinking Erica Kai; Erica for the same reason as Eric and Kai means 'sea', and since we both love anything to do with the ocean, well, I thought it would be perfect. Of course, if you have other names you'd rather use. . "

"No, K., I like those names. I think they're perfect."

"Really?"

"Really. So, we're either going to have a little Eric or a little Erica. . . Wow, K, we're actually going to have a real, live baby in just a few months."

"Hey, you're not going to faint or anything, are you? You're looking a little green around the gills, Tony!"

'SEALs do not faint, K. Just need to load some carbs."

"Whatever. "

(Sam and Steve are sitting on the deck just off their bedroom enjoying the peaceful night. A gentle breeze lifts Sam's hair from her face and Steve's fingers thread through hers as he takes her hand in his.)

"You're in a really good mood this evening, Beautiful."

"Thorne left on a C-130 at 1600 hours; he'll be gone for six entire days."

"Ah. . . So, you're more or less celebrating."

"I guess."

"Sam."

"I know that Caroline and everyone else is concerned, Steve, I'm concerned, too, but I don't want to write Thorne off without giving him a chance. Dad told me to stop trying to keep Thorne at Pearl and let Adm. Henderson transfer him, Caroline and everyone else at the base wants him gone, and when I do sign off on his transfer, . . "

"Radner breaks his leg and you're stuck with him indefinitely."

"Yeah. I've second guessed myself so many times with this guy I'm not even sure I know which way is up anymore."

"So stop. Look at me, Sam, in all the years I've known you, you've always been on top of things. You're a damned good pilot and an excellent officer and CAG. Don't let this guy make you doubt yourself, Baby."

"Have you been talking to my father?"

"No, but it stands to reason that Mike would tell you the same thing I am. Isn't the promotions list due out soon?"

"Yeah, in a couple of days, why?"

"You told me you were fairly certain Lt. Monroe was going to be promoted to Lieutenant Commander and that you and Henderson were going to put him in the chain of command, yes?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so do it. Sure Thorne will make some noise about being moved down in the chain of command, but he knows he's being transferred so he can't bitch too much. Once you've put Monroe in as third in command behind you, let him deal with Monroe."

"Well, gee, Steve, way to treat the best XO I've ever had; dump Thorne in his lap,"

"I have a feeling Monroe will be more than happy to have Thorne dumped in his lap, Sam; especially since he'll be in a position to give Monroe orders."

"There is that. Okay. . . So, Sailor, what interesting things do you have planned for this evening? After all, we are celebrating."

"Anything you want to do, Beautiful. We can go out to dinner, we can go to the beach, . . ."

"We can just go to bed."

"Yes, ma'am, we can definitely do that."

(And for the first time in quite some time, all is as close to normal with everyone. . .

On the C-130 transport plane en route to Oceana, Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne is reviewing the latest email he received from his "friend" in Washington. Everything is going as planned and he smiles as he thinks of the havoc he's about to bring down on Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett.)


	42. Chapter 42

**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 13, 2011**

(When Sam arrives at the base the following morning, Adm. Henderson stops her in the hallway before she makes it to her office and asks her to step into his office instead. Once there, he hands her a piece of paper with a smile on his face, and Sam begins to grin as soon as she reads it.)

"I thought you should have the honor, Commander, after all, he is your XO."

"Was my XO, and, thank you, Sir, I'd like to be the one to tell him."

"Carry on, Commander."

"Aye, aye, Admiral."

(Sam goes in search of her Executive Officer, Lt. Monroe, and finds him in one of the maintenance hangars checking on some repairs to his plane.)

"Lt. Monroe, may I see you for a minute."

"Certainly, Commander, what can I do for you?"

"Actually, the promotions list is out. Congratulations, Lt. Cmdr. Monroe."

"I . . . I made it? I've been promoted?"

"Indeed you have. Adm. Henderson doesn't want to delay your promotion ceremony, either so it's going to take place tomorrow at 1300 hours. You're getting Green squadron so pick your XO."

"Thank you, Cmdr. McGarrett. I know you had a lot to do with this, and, well, I appreciate everything, Ma'am."

"Your welcome. Now get your six back to Flight Ops; your pilots and RIOs are waiting for you."

(The excited young man gives Sam a hastily executed salute and heads out of the hangar with a spring in his step. Senior Chief Evans, the head of maintenance for the Air Group at Pearl walks over to Sam while wiping his hands on a rag.)

"Glad to see that young man moving up, Commander, he's a good one."

"Indeed, he is, Senior, and, since Lt. Cmdr. Thorne is being transferred, Lt. Cmdr. Monroe is moving into the chain of command behind me."

"Now _that_ is very good news, Ma'am."

"Thought you'd like it. . . Since I'm here, anything you need to bring me up to speed on, Senior?"

(Libby watches from her seat in a chair in the corner of Lana's room as one of the Physical Therapists completes the exercises on Lana's legs. Just as she is finishing, a small gasp escapes Lana and Libby is instantly beside the bed.)

"What is it, dear?"

"I . . I felt something. . . In my left foot." 

"Where, Lana?"

"Near my heel. . . . Yes!. . . That's it. I can feel your hand!"

"Do you feel anything now?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"Yes! I feel you touching my heel!"

(Libby and the therapist look at one another and smile because the first two times the therapist asked if Lana felt something, she wasn't touching Lana's foot; the last time, she was. Sensation is definitely returning to Lana's feet and this is a most wonderful and welcomed sign! Promising Lana that she's going to call the neurologist, Dr. Warren, immediately, the therapist leaves the room. Libby sees the tears of relief in the younger woman's eyes and gives her a motherly hug.)

"This is wonderful news! Everything's going to be just fine, dear. It's going to take a little time, but I do believe you're going to get all the feeling back in your legs and be walking on your own in no time."

"I think so, too, Libby. I hope Chin gets back soon; I can't wait to tell him."

(Chin is, at that very moment, having a discussion with Kono and Steve in Steve's office regarding the investigation by H.P.D. into the accident. Danny is at the D.A.'s office personally speaking with the Assistant District Attorney who's handling the case. Steve is praying that Danny will be able to give them some positive news when he gets back because Chin is none too happy with the current status of the investigation. Frankly, Steve can't really blame him.)

"So you're telling me that the only charges that are going to be filed against Powell are for DUI and reckless driving?"

"At this point, yeah. Danny's talking to the ADA assigned to the case right now, but, because there were no fatalities, that's about all they can do. Lana's insurance company, however, is going after them for everything they can; at least, that's what the insurance company's investigator told the D.A.'s office."

"What about attempted murder? I mean, a car traveling at a high rate of speed and being driven by a drunk driver is a deadly weapon."

"Chin, I promise you that D.A.'s office has explored every possibility; the DUI and reckless driving charges are it.'

"Let me get this straight; Lana would have had to die before they'd pursue charges of any substance against this guy."

"Yeah."

"The insurance company's investigator did say that Lana could file a civil suit against Powell and would probably receive a fairly large settlement, but that's something Lana would have to initiate on her own."

"I guess it's true; if you've got a lot of money you can do what you want and nobody gives a damn."

"Come on, Cuz, we're on your side!"

(Danny walks in at this moment and the expressions and body language of his three co-workers say it all. His news isn't going to help matters much.)

"Any luck with the D.A.'s office?"

"Nope. DUI and reckless driving are the only charges they're filing and, because Powell's record is otherwise clean, he'll pay a fine and probably get community service and/or probation."

"Lana may have to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair and the bastard who put her there pays a fine and walks away. How the Hell am I supposed to tell her that?"

(And without another word, Chin walks out the door on his way to the hospital leaving Steve, Danny, and Kono exchanging uneasy glances.)


	43. Chapter 43

**CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 15, 2011**

(Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne heads back to his quarters at the BOQ at Oceana after the last session of the day, changes into civilian clothing, and makes the short walk to the main gate of the base where an agent from a rental car agency is waiting with a sleek convertible for Thorne. The fact that another employee from the rental car company is waiting to take the agent back instead of Thorne having to do it is icing on the cake. As soon as he signs the necessary paperwork, Thorne gets in the car and drives away from the base. Thirty minutes later, he is sitting at an outdoor table at an upscale restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia with a glass of Glenfiddich single malt Scotch in front of him. The last session of the seminar he's attending ended early so he is enjoying the calming sounds of waves breaking on the shore as he waits for his friend to join him for an early dinner. Everything is falling into place rather nicely, and Thorne's thin lips curve upward as he watches two well-endowed young women walk along the beach in tiny bikinis. Perhaps, if he finishes his business early enough, he'll call an old friend, a female friend, who is currently stationed at Oceana. He would have already done so, but putting his plan to bring down Samantha McGarrett takes priority over everything else; including taking care of his baser needs. .

When Chin arrives at the hospital, he finds Lana and Libby giggling like teenagers and Lana's smile widens when he walks through the door.)

"I have feeling in my right heel!"

"You have . . . That's . . Thank God!'

"It's going to be okay, Chin."

"Yes, it is, dear. I'm going to run along now so the two of you can talk. I'll see you bright and early in the morning, Lana."

"Libby, I can't tell you what it's meant to me for you to be here every day. I feel guilty for taking up so much of your time."

"You're not taking up any of my time, Lana. You're one of my children now, so, of course, I'm going to be here with you. Now, you children have a lovely afternoon. If you need anything before I get back, you just call me."

(Libby breezes out the door and Chin turns back to find Lana's dark eyes on him. The woman's ability to "hone in" on his mood is frightening sometimes, but he knows she can tell that something's bothering him and he mentally gears up for the inquisition he knows is coming his way.)

"Spill it. All of it; don't leave anything out."

"Spill what?"

"Chin . . ."

"The D.A.'s only filing DUI and reckless driving charges against the man who hit you. They won't be filing an attempted homicide or aggravated assault charges because his record is otherwise clean. He'll probably have to pay a small fine and do some community service, but that's it."

"What do you want his punishment to be, Chin? You said yourself that, other than this accident, his record is clean. He made a mistake; an error in judgment."

"He could have killed you, Lana!"

"But he didn't, Chin. I'm alive, I'm getting stronger every day, and the feeling is returning in my lower extremities; there's no reason that I shouldn't make a full recovery."

"What about all the pain and suffering you've had to endure? What about the fact that we've had to postpone our wedding?"

"Which you and I almost did before the accident? Have you never made a mistake?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you perfect? Have you never, in your entire life, made a mistake?"

"Of course I'm not perfect, and I've made plenty of mistakes."

"All right, then. . . Chin, if you really love me, please let this go. The sentence Edward Powell receives from the court, and the settlement my insurance company is seeking, will be punishment enough for him. I want to recover as quickly as possible so that we can get married, and I want, I _need _for you to concentrate on helping me get well; not on revenge or punishment for anyone. Okay?"

"You know, I'm pretty sure you had me wrapped from the second I looked at you sitting behind the desk in S.I.C.U. when Steve was shot. Yeah, that was it. Okay, Honey, I'll back off of Edwards. . . For now."

(Pulling into the parking lot of an apartment complex not far from the base, Joel Thorne grins as he parks the convertible in one of the two spaces reserved for Lt. Angela Maddox, a friend of long-standing he gets together with every now and then. Thorne's dinner meeting with his friend went extremely well and the wheels are already in motion to ensure Samantha McGarrett's downfall. Since he doesn't have to be back at the base until 1000 hours the next day, he can even spend the night at Angela's if he wants, so he's in a very good mood, indeed. As he's walking up the stairs to Angela's apartment, it suddenly occurs to him that he and Angela are doing the exact same thing that Sam and Steve McGarrett did for years before they got married. The difference is, he has no intention of getting married and spoiling all his fun. Of course, when he's through with Cmdr. McGarrett, not only will she be dishonorably discharged from the Navy, but she'll be serving time in a federal prison, as well, so she won't be spending any time with her husband. In fact, if all goes well, she'll spend the rest of her life in a federal prison. That thought sends heat rushing through him and he knocks on Angela's door rather enthusiastically.)


	44. Chapter 44

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 17, 2011**

(The following day, at 1330 hours, Steve, dressed in his blues and looking exceedingly "hot", sits next to his equally stunning wife at the promotion ceremony for Lt. Cmdr. Monroe. Sam asked Steve to attend not only because Lt. Cmdr. Monroe was Sam's Executive Officer and is a friend to them both, but also because she wants Steve to get to know her new XO, Lt. Shane Atkins. After all, there will be many times when Sam will be getting calls at all hours from her XO, and Steve will be answering the phone sometimes; the two men might as well get to know one another from the get-go. To that end, Sam has invited Lt. Adkins and his wife, Sara, to the McGarrett's for dinner in a couple of weeks so that Mrs. Adkins can be included, as well. Sam learned very early in her career that the wives of officers who served with her needed to meet and get to know her so there wouldn't be any problems; usually, the wives take one look at Sam and jump to conclusions. As soon as the official ceremony is concluded, Lieutenants Monroe and Atkins and their wives join Sam and Steve at the reception. Introductions are made and, this time, it's Sam who's a little uncomfortable when Lt. Atkins' wife gets a good look at Steve. For just a moment, Sara Atkins looks at Steve like he's a piece of excellent prime rib and she hasn't eaten in a week. When her husband slips his arm around her waist, however, she gives him such a love-filled look that Sam's ruffled feathers settle back down. Steve didn't miss his wife's moment of concern, and sends her a sexy, little grin that reassures her she has absolutely nothing to worry about. In his opinion, there's not another woman in the world who can come close to his Sam and he fully intends to make sure she knows that . . . later. Before he leaves the base, he walks Sam back to her office and shuts the door behind them. Tossing his cover on Sam's desk next to hers, he grabs her hand, quickly pulls her up against him, and kisses her nearly senseless. When he finally lets her up for air, there's no longer any trace of the green-eyed monster in her eyes.)

"Careful, Sailor, you could get me in serious trouble."

"It's your office and the door's closed, Beautiful. Besides, I wanted to make sure you knew I only have eyes for you."

"I know that, Steve. It's just . . . You look really good all the time, but. . When you're in uniform. . God, it makes me crazy! I can only imagine what it does to those other poor susceptible women out there."

"I could say the same thing about you, Commander McGarrett. The first time I saw you I thought that you were the only woman I'd ever seen who could make a uniform look sinfully sexy."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. 'Course, I much prefer you _out_ of your uniform, and your underwear, and. . . "

"Steve! This may be my office and the door may be shut, but I'm still on duty and this is still a U.S. Navy base."

(But Sam is laughing as she utters the chastisement, and Steve grins before kissing her again. This time, after he releases Sam, he grabs his cover and heads out the door telling Sam he'll see her a little later at home. Sam still has a grin on her face thirty minutes later when she heads to the flight line for the afternoon's exercises between her squadron and Lt. Cmdr. Monroe's, Senior Chief Evans, who also happens to be Sam's plane captain, eyes her appraisingly as he is helping her adjust her various belts and restraints in the cockpit.)

"Don't show him any mercy, Commander."

"Who, Senior Chief?"

"Merlin, Ma'am. He's used to flying with you; not against you."

"Ah. I hadn't planned on showing him any mercy, Senior. I'm looking forward to finding out just how well he thinks he knows me. Of course, Lt. Atkins and I have a few surprises in store for Merlin and his squadron."

"You and Scooter already have a battle plan, Commander?"

"Indeed we do. Don't worry, Senior, your reputation as plane captain with the most wins is safe."

"Never doubted that for a second, Ma'am. Just didn't want you to think you had to give Merlin a special pass because he used to be your XO."

"Now what makes you think I'd do that, Senior?"

(Both squadrons are soon airborne and the simulated dog fight begins. True to her word, Sam's squadron outmaneuvers Lt. Cmdr. Monroe's and takes all three runs much to the delight of Senior Chief Evans. He is copying the computer tracking program of the simulation when he finds something rather odd in the program. Running a quick scan and then re-running the program, he fails to find the oddity again and assumes it was just a glitch in the program. . .

Joel Thorne completes his second, and final day, of the seminar at Oceana, checks out of the BOQ, and leaves the base heading for Arlington, Virginia. For the next three days, he'll be staying at his friend's condo in one of the more exclusive suburbs, and finalizing his plans to bring down Samantha McGarrett. He has just left the base when his cellular phone rings and a glance at the caller I.D. makes him curious.)

"Thorne."

"We may have a slight problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Senior Chief Evans copied today's training exercises himself. He might have seen something in the program before I could hide it."

"For your sake, I sincerely hope not. Make sure there are no irregularities anywhere in the computer before you leave today, and let me know if Evans starts acting suspiciously. If he does, I'll have to alter my plans and I don't want that to happen. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly. Just make sure you remember who your friends are once you get promoted and take over as CAG here."


	45. Chapter 45

**CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 17, 2011**

(Over the course of the next few days, Lana continues to improve and regain feeling in her lower extremities. Chin, who Lana insisted needed to go back to work for at least part of every day, arrives at the hospital one afternoon to find Lana is actually walking, albeit with the assistance of the therapist on one side and Libby Thrasher on the other, from one side of her room to the other. The joyous expression on her face when he walks through the door to her room is amazing, and he feels tears in his eyes at her accomplishment. Libby, knowing when it's time for her to go, makes some excuse about meeting Mike for dinner and asks Chin to take her place at Lana's side. Not fooled for a second, Chin gives her a hug and kiss on the cheek before she leaves. After finishing her therapy session, Lana gladly returns to her bed and gives Chin a knowing glance when he sits on the side of her bed and takes her hands in his.)

"What?"

"The D.A.'s office, under pressure from Powell's family, made a plea agreement. Powell pled guilty to both the DUI and the reckless driving charges and was given a fine of five thousand dollars to be placed in a victim's fund and five hundred hours of community service; no probation."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes, Chin, okay. My insurance company has also reached a settlement with the Powells. In addition to paying all my medical costs, they're going to also pay me twenty-five thousand dollars. I would very much like to donate it all to the victim's fund, as well."

"You want to . . . Lana Palea, you are the most amazing woman I've ever known. After everything that's happened, after all the pain and suffering you've gone through, you want to give twenty-five thousand dollars to a victim's fund."

"Yes, I do. Chin, do you honestly think I could spend one dime of that money on myself knowing that I had it because someone made a mistake? I think it would be far better used for the families of people who are victims of malicious crimes such as rape or murder, and I would be much happier knowing that, in some small way, I had helped those people, all right?"

"Yes, Ma'am. So what's the prognosis for you being able to walk on your own, unassisted?"

"Excellent. Tomorrow, I'll be going to Physical Therapy instead of them coming to my room and, hopefully, I'll be back at full speed in no time. In fact, I'm going to call Sam, Kono, and Caroline and tell them to go ahead and get their dresses fitted for the wedding."

(Sam has just landed after flying another exercise and Senior Chief Evans is up the ladder and assisting her before her canopy is completely up. The expression on his face is troubled and Sam knows instantly that something major is wrong.)

"What's up, Senior?"

"Adm. Henderson wants to see you in his office, Commander. Said to tell you to get your six out of this plane and in his office ASAP."

"Well, that can't be good. Thank you."

(Puzzled, and a little concerned, Sam quickly climbs out of her plane and heads straight to the Admiral's office. When she knocks on his doorframe, her trepidation increases at the expression on his face when he looks up and sees her.)

"Come in, Commander, and close the door behind you."

"You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Take a seat. Do you specifically which friends Lt. Cmdr. Thorne was visiting in Washington, Commander?"

"No, Sir, I don't. He requested additional leave time after the conclusion of the seminar, but he didn't enlighten me as to who those friends might be. Is there a problem, Sir?"

(Adm. Henderson expels a heavy sigh and leans forward in his chair and rests both his forearms on the top of his desk with his hands clasped. It is clear, by both his body language and his expression, that he is very displeased about something.)

"Sam, I have a friend who's an attorney, a JAG attorney. He called me a little while ago and said someone's been making inquiries into your record with the Navy."

"My record? Why would anyone be making inquiries to JAG about my record, Admiral?"

"I don't know, and my friend didn't know who was making the inquiries. He overheard another JAG talking about it in the elevator, knew you were my second-in-command, and decided to give me a 'heads up' off the record. I find it very coincidental that Lt. Cmdr. Thorne takes personal leave in Washington and someone makes inquiries about you to JAG while he's there."

"Sir, regardless of who's making the inquiries, there's nothing in my record that's negative."

"I'm aware of that, Sam, but it disturbs me just the same. We both know what a snake in the grass Thorne is, and he's still smarting about not getting the promotion and CAG's position. I wouldn't put it past him to try anything he can think of to discredit you; discredit both of us. Stay on your toes, Commander, and let me know if anything, anything at all, out of the ordinary comes up."

"Yes, Sir."

(Sam and Adm. Henderson discuss routine matters related to Flight Ops and the base for the next several minutes and she returns to her office once she is dismissed. Although she outwardly appears to be perfectly fine, inside she is more unsettled than she would care to admit. So distracted is she that she is having a difficult time concentrating on writing up the results of the training exercise she just flew and is staring off into space when Lt. Atkins knocks on her doorframe. Focusing her attention on her XO, Sam invites him into her office and to one of the chairs in front of her desk.)

"Is that your evaluation on today's exercise, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I would have had them to you sooner, but Senior Chief Evans ran into a little glitch copying the data from the weapon's computer."

"What kind of glitch?"

"I'm not sure, Ma'am. He just said he had to copy the data twice because there was a 'bump' in the program the first time."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Go home and spend some time with your wife. You did an amazing job out there today."

"Thank you, Commander. See you tomorrow."

(Sam reaches for her desk phone to call Senior Chief Evans and ask him about the problem with the computer, but then tells herself that she's allowing Adm. Henderson's suspicious mood to rub off on her unnecessarily and pulls her hand back. Glancing at the clock, she finds that she's wasted far too much time worrying about something that's groundless and gets back to work. Thorne is due back tomorrow and Sam wants to enjoy the rest of her day and particularly her evening before the man gets back.)


	46. Chapter 46

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 17, 2011**

(Sam's phone rings shortly after Lt. Atkins leaves her office and she grabs it without looking up from the report she's reading.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett."

"Hey, Beautiful. Busy?"

"Trying to finish up some reports before I leave for the day, Sailor. What's up?"

"I thought I'd take you out to dinner tonight; to La Mer. Unless you'd rather do something else."

"Are you kidding me? I'd love to go to La Mer for dinner. What's the occasion?"

"Does there have to be a reason?"

"Nope. Absolutely not. How about I meet you at home, we can get dressed and go by the hospital on the way to the restaurant?"

"That's exactly what I thought you'd say, Sam so I made reservations for eight-thirty."

"You know me so well, Steve. . . I love you."

"I love you, too, Sam. What's up?"

"What? Something has to be up for me to tell you I love you?"

"It's not what you said, Sam. It's the way you said it."

"Wow. That's scary. You really do know me well. Just a little glitch with one of the computer programs today; it's nothing. I'll see you in a little while."

(For several minutes after Sam hangs up, Steve thinks about what she said and he's not buying it. There was something in Sam's voice that alerted him to the fact that whatever's bothering her is more than a computer glitch, and he's determined to find out what that something is. He knows, however, that he's going to have to pull it out of Sam because she's not going to volunteer any information. . .

Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne arrives at Pearl at 1600 hours and immediately gets in his car and drives off base to his apartment. His trip to D.C. was very satisfying for more than one reason and all he has to do now is sit back and wait. He amuses himself by imagining the expression on Samantha McGarrett's face when his plan goes into effect, and how much fun he's going to have sending those loyal to Sam to the far ends of the Earth starting with Lt. Cmdr. Monroe. . .

Kono and Tony arrive at the hospital at the same time and come around the corner on Lana's floor in time to see her walking, completely unassisted, down the hall toward her room with a grinning Chin by her side. By the time they reach her room, she is just getting back into her bed and Chin takes a seat on the edge once she's settled.)

"You've been holding out on us, Lana."

"I didn't want to say anything until I was sure I was going to be able to walk more than ten feet by myself, Tony."

"Looks like you're there, girlfriend."

"Yeah, Kono, I am. All my doctors are telling me that, if I continue to improve, I should get to go home at the end of the week."

"And how long are you going to have to take it easy once you do get out of here?"

"Actually, Kono, I seem to be one of those people who heals quickly and, if they discharge me on Friday, I should be able to go back to work on Monday."

"Okay, so when's the new wedding date?"

"If all goes well, two weeks from Saturday, so call and schedule the final fitting of your dress as soon as possible. Can't have my Matron of Honor looking less than gorgeous."

(Caroline and Danny arrive shortly after Kono and Tony and they, too, are exceedingly pleased to see Lana's progress. As soon as they find out that the wedding's been rescheduled, the three young women completely ignore the guys and start talking about the wedding non-stop. Reconciling themselves to the fact that they are "unimportant" at the moment, Danny, Chin, and Tony move to the other side of the room and start talking about sports. When Sam and Steve, both dressed to the nines, step into the room, the women are on one side and the men are on the other. Sam is wearing a little, black dress that hugs her curves provocatively with matching pumps, and Steve is looking devastatingly handsome in a dark suit, white shirt, and black tie. Both the men's and women's conversations stop when they step through the door and Tony fills the silence with a low whistle.)

"Wow, what's the occasion?"

"No special occasion; I just thought I'd take my wife to La Mer for dinner."

"La Mer? Really? Come on, what's up?"

"There's nothing up, Danny. I just wanted to take Sam to La Mer for dinner. That okay with you?"

"Well, yeah. . . You'd better get her out of here quickly, though; otherwise she'll be right in the middle of this discussion about the wedding and you'll never make your reservations."

"Yeah, we will. Promise."

(But, sure enough, Sam gets caught up in the discussion about the wedding and Steve glances at his watch for the third time before he realizes they have to leave or they're going to be late. Putting on his most charming smile, he steps over to the group of ladies, slides his arm around his wife's slender waist, and pulls her back against his body while trying to project a contrite expression.)

"I'm so sorry to break this up, ladies, but Sam and I really have to be going it we're going to make it to the restaurant on time."

"But Steve, we still haven't decided on the final details for the rehearsal dinner, and Sam was supposed to take care of that!"

"And she will; just not tonight. Promise, Caroline."

"Sorry, guys, tall, dark, and extremely sexy made reservations for eight-thirty. Don't worry about the rehearsal dinner, I've got it handled."


	47. Chapter 47

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

(Sam and Steve are met at the entrance to La Mer by the owner, Mike Grayton, one of Steve's former SEALs, and shown to their favorite table in front of a wall of sheer glass that overlooks Diamondhead. A bottle of Sam's favorite wine is already chilling in a silver bucket beside the candlelit table and there is a beautiful arrangement of fresh, peach-colored roses on the table, as well. Once they are seated and have given their server their orders, Mike leaves them to enjoy their romantic dinner. Sam turns back in Steve's direction and her breath catches at the smoldering look in his eyes. He reaches across the table and takes her hand in his allowing his thumb to rub the sensitive area on the inside of her wrist. Sam's temperature climbs a couple of notches and she's suddenly starting to feel very warm.)

"Steve, are you trying to seduce me in front of a restaurant full of people?"

"Nope; not trying, Sam. Doing it."

"You got that right. . . Why do you always do this to me when we're in public? Are you trying to see how crazy you can make me?"

"Are you complaining, Sam?"

"Nope. Not complaining. Just trying to figure out why you decided we needed to have dinner at La Mer tonight. I mean, I love having dinner here; I love being anywhere with you, Steve, but, . . . What made you think of this?"

"Something's going on with you, Sam. Whatever it is, it's eating away at you, and I don't like that."

"So you thought you'd bring me here for a romantic dinner and I'd confess all?"

"No. I thought I'd bring you here for a romantic dinner so I could spend some time with you, just the two of us, and you could put everything else, including whatever it is that's bothering you out of your mind for a little while. Besides, I love the way you look in candlelight."

"You are the most amazing man and I am the most blessed woman on Earth. I love you, Steve." 

I know you do, Sam, I love you, too, That's why I know something's bothering you; something more serious than just a bad day or a computer glitch. I can see it in your eyes, Sam. I'm not going to push you; I know you'll tell me when you're ready."

(Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of dinner, but no words are necessary between them. So well do they know one another that they can communicate with one another through their eyes. Mike Grayton stops by their table for a few minutes and Sam excuses herself to go to the Ladies' room. Once she has walked away from the table, Steve notices the expression on Mike's face.)

"Something up, Mike?"

"Your lady seems troubled."

"Picked up on that, did you?"

"Her plane captain and I served together before I joined the teams; we've been friends for years."

"And?"

"And I happened to talk to him today. Actually, he called me; wanted to bounce something off me."

"Yeah? What?"

"Just a hypothetical situation. What would I do if I suspected someone was altering computer programs?"

"What kind of computer programs?"

"Nothing major; just some training data."

"What would you do, Mike?"

"I'd report it to my C.O. ASAP and then I'd get someone I trusted to run diagnostics and see how long this had been going on and exactly what had been altered."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Yeah, that's what Charlie Evans thought, too. I'm pretty sure he's going to be talking with his C.O. first thing tomorrow morning."

"Senior Chief Evans isn't the kind of man who gets spooked easily. What do you think, Mike?"

"I think it's probably nothing, but, you know, it never hurts to check things like this out, and since my friend and your wife would be directly affected should anything untoward be going on, well, I think it bears looking into."

"Thanks for the 'heads up', Mike. I should have known there was more behind your phone call today than a reminder that Sam and I hadn't been here in a while."

"Anytime, Steve. It took you long enough to get that young lady to marry you; I'm glad to do whatever I can to make sure the two of you get your fairytale."

"You're a good man, Mike. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Here comes your wife. You two have a great evening."

(And saying goodnight to Sam, Mike heads off to take care of something that requires his attention. Sam and Steve finish their dinner and head home. Now that he has an idea of what may be bothering Sam, Steve feels a little better. Although, the thought of someone deliberately altering any data in a military computer, especially one that contains information about weapons systems, gives him a new reason to worry. Steve has an inner debate with himself as to whether or not he should say something to Sam, but decides that he'll wait and see if Senior Chief Evans talks with her the next day. . .

Once they get home, Steve locks the door and heads upstairs. Sam has just laid her diamond earrings on the dresser and is reaching around for the zipper on her dress when Steve walks through the door of their bedroom. He reaches up and slowly slides the zipper down while nuzzling her neck, but Sam steps away from Steve and turns to look at him with an uneasy expression.)

"Someone's been checking my service record, Steve, and whoever it is has been talking to JAG."

"What?"

"Adm. Henderson has a friend who's currently stationed at JAG headquarters and the guy called him today to tell him someone's been making inquiries about me to their office."


	48. Chapter 48

**CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 19, 2011**

"Are you aware that someone's been screwing around with one of the computer systems, Sam? Specifically with the program that tracks your weapons data?"

"What? How the Hell do you know that, Steve?"

"I don't know it for a fact, Sam, but Mike Grayton and Charlie Evans are friends; have been for years, and Evans called him today wanting to talk about a hypothetical situation relating to the weapons systems data."

(Sam has grown paler at Steve's every word and her anxiety level is rising rapidly.)

"Lt. Atkins was late in getting his report in to me this afternoon because he said Senior Chief Evans had to rerun the data; said there was a 'bump' of some kind in the program. Since Evans didn't say anything to me about it, I assumed it was just something that happens from time to time. Now, you're telling me that someone's deliberately going into a secure system that contains classified material and altering the data?" 

"Possibly. And not that someone's making inquiries about you to JAG, . . ."

"Oh my God, I have to talk with Adm. Henderson about this. Tonight."

"Yeah, Beautiful, you do."

"You're going to have to go with me, Steve, and you might as well call Mike Grayton, too. You're both in the middle of this whether you like it or not."

"Yeah, Sam, I'd already figured that out."

(Forty-five minutes later, Sam and Steve are sitting in Adm. Henderson's office on base along with Lt. Atkins, Senior Chief Evans, and Mike Grayton. After Sam, with the help of the others present explaining their roles, explains the situation to Adm. Henderson, he leans back in his chair and emits a heavy sigh.)

"I'm calling Adm. Canton at the Pentagon to let him know we may have a security breach. I'm also going to get him to send a couple of computer specialists out here from San Diego N.A.S.; I don't want any of our people going near the classified systems until further notice. Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, Senior Chief Grayton, I'm sure I don't need to tell either of you about the need for keeping this buttoned up for the moment."

"No, Sir."

"No, Admiral, you don't."

"All right then, Cmdr. McGarrett, for now, we're going to proceed normally. Only the people in this room know what we suspect and I want it to stay that way until we find out if someone _is_ altering data in our computers, and, if so, who's doing it. Make sure that everything runs as scheduled for the next few days, people. Thank you all for coming in on such short notice and at such a late hour."

(By the time they leave the base it's nearly 2100 hours and Sam and Steve are quiet on the way home. Sam is pale and Steve realizes that the last couple of hours have taken a heavy toll on her. In the back of his mind, he has been toying with the suspicion that Joel Thorne has something to do with what's going on with both someone looking into Sam's service record and the computer hacking issue, but he has no proof. One thing he does know; if Joel Thorne is doing anything to cause problems for Sam, Thorne won't have to worry about Adm. Henderson or any military court because Steve is going to kill him. Well, maybe not kill him, but Thorne will definitely learn exactly why Navy SEALs are a breed unto themselves. . .

When they get home, Sam wordlessly walks upstairs and takes off her uniform before heading into the bathroom. Steve hears the shower come on and decides Sam is in need of some stress relief in the form of her husband. Quickly shedding his clothes and letting them drop where he pulls them off, Steve walks into the bathroom and joins his wife in the shower. As soon as she feels Steve's strong arms slide around her waist, Sam turns into his arms and slides her arms around his neck burying her face in his chest. She might think she has Steve fooled and he believes the wet warmth he feels on his chest is the spray from the shower but he knows better. Turning her face up to his, he sees the tears in her eyes and his heart clenches.)

"Sam, Baby, this is going to be okay."

"We don't even know what 'this' is yet, Steve! All we know or suspect right now is that, one, someone's looking into my service record and making inquiries about me to the Judge Advocate General's office, and, two, someone may be trying to alter data in a computer program that contains classified information and is supposed to be secured."

"Sweetheart, you have an excellent service record, you've done absolutely nothing that could be construed as grounds for any kind of JAG investigation, and, if someone _is_ hacking into a D.O.D. computer system, they're the ones who will be guilty of treason; not you."

"I have a really bad feeling about this, Steve."

"It's going to be okay, Sam. You have nothing to be afraid of, Beautiful."

"I'm not _afraid_, Steve; I'm mad as Hell!"

"That's my girl. How about you put all this out of your mind for a little while and refocus all that excess energy?"

"What'd you have in mind, Sailor?"

"This."

(And he kisses her neck just below her jaw line.)

"And this."

(And he kisses her shoulder.)

"And this."

(And this time, his teeth gently nip the "sweet spot" on her collarbone and her knees get very weak.)

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this story thus far. I have been "sidelined" with a nasty case of bronchitis for a few weeks and am **_**finally**_** feeling more like myself. I hope to play "catch up" and post chapters more quickly now and ones that are more interesting. I don't feel my writing has been up to par since I've been ill and, for that, I sincerely apologize. Hope you enjoy the next few chapters! Michelle**


	49. Chapter 49

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 19, 2011**

(Sam is in her office going over the week's training exercise schedule with Lt. Cmdr. Monroe when a rather hard knock on her doorframe has her looking up in annoyance at the rude gesture. Not surprisingly, the guilty party is none other than Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne looking rather smug. Although she didn't say anything to anyone else, not even, Steve, Thorne was the first person who came to Sam's mind when Adm. Henderson told her someone had been making inquiries to JAG about her. The headquarters of the Judge Advocate General are located in Washington, D.C., and that's exactly where Joel Thorne has been for the past week. Although it could be a coincidence, Sam doesn't think so, and decides, right then and there, to find out just exactly who Thorne went to see in Washington. At the moment, however, she schools her features into a pleasant smile and invites Thorne to take the vacant chair in front of her desk. He complies immediately and _that_, in itself, is enough to cause Lt. Cmdr. Monroe to glance first at Thorne and then at Sam in disbelief. Sam, however, remains calm and even includes Thorne by asking his opinion on the proposed schedule although he is no longer in the chain of command. Monroe looks at Sam like she's suddenly sprouted another head and even Thorne seems somewhat surprised. After they've finished, Sam tells Thorne, who came to her office to officially report back for duty, to have a good rest of the day and jokingly tells him her squadron is going to beat his in the next day's simulated dog fight. Once the man has left her office and has had time to be well out of hearing distance, Sam glances at Lt. Cmdr. Monroe and almost laughs at the man's rather confused expression.)

"Before you say anything, Merlin, no, I have not lost my mind. I've decided that the best way to go about dealing with Lt. Cmdr. Thorne is to 'kill him with kindness'; sort of."

"If you say so, Ma'am."

"If we take the 'high road', Commander, we'll be able to hold our heads up no matter what; Lt. Cmdr. Thorne has already proved that he doesn't particularly care about his reputation. Why should we lower ourselves to his level?"

"You're absolutely right, Ma'am. I'll make sure this schedule gets posted immediately."

"Thank you, Commander, and don't forget the budget meeting this afternoon at 1500."

(Senior Chief Evans walks into Sam's office as soon as Lt. Cmdr. Monroe walks out and Sam asks him to shut the door to her office before taking a seat.)

"What'd you find out, Senior?"

"It appears there were at least three different instances of someone trying to alter data for three different training exercises over the course of the past several months. All three exercises involved your squadron. The first one you flew against blue squadron, the second was against yellow squadron, and the third was against green squadron."

"What data was altered?"

"The number of actual simulated 'kills' for you."

"Someone altered the number of my 'kills'?"

"Yes, Ma'am. In every instance, they decreased your number of kills."

"So, if anyone were to ever go back and review the outcome of the exercises, the computer data is going to indicate that I had fewer kills than what's listed in the official reports I've already signed off on and which have been submitted and approved?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Commander, it's starting to look like, at least to me, that someone's trying to set things up to look like you claimed more 'kills' than the computerized records indicate. Technically, that could be construed as…"

"Falsifying official government documents which would lead to providing falsified information in my personal service record, receiving a promotion and appointment based on falsified information, and so on, and so on, and so on. That son of a bitch!"

"Oh, yes, Ma'am, I'd bet a month's pay that Lt. Cmdr. Thorne is behind this, but he was off-base on two of the three occasions the data was altered including the last time while he was in Washington."

"Which is when he had someone he knows in D.C. make inquiries about my service record to the Judge Advocate General's office. So, in addition to Thorne, there are at least two other people, including one right here at Pearl, who are involved. We need to find out who these people are and we need some hard evidence against all three of them. The computer specialists from San Diego are due to arrive here at 1600 hours today, Senior Chief. Adm. Henderson and I will be in a budget meeting. However, I want you standing on the tarmac when their plane lands and the doors of their transport open, I want you to personally verify their identities as soon as they step off that plane, I want you to personally escort them to Flight Ops, and I want you to personally escort them here to my office. Once the three of you are inside my office, I want you to shut and lock the door and do not unlock or open the door until I am standing on the other side of it, understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am, but I'm not sure the personnel from San Diego are going to understand."

"Yes, they will, Senior. Adm. Henderson has explained to their C.O. that this is a highly classified investigation and that we're taking any security precautions we deem necessary. To that end, photos of the two officers were faxed directly to Adm. Henderson's office this morning. Here you go, you are expecting Lt. John Sanders and Ens. Tom Rogers, and Senior, Lt. Atkins will be on the flight line at the time of their arrival, as well. Do not hesitate to request his assistance if you encounter any resistance from anyone."

"Aye, aye, Commander."


	50. Chapter 50

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 20, 2011**

(As soon as Senior Chief Evans leaves Sam's office, she calls Steve from her cellular phone and her anger is simmering just below the surface.)

"Hey, Beautiful, what's up?"

"Besides my blood pressure? Plenty. Can you meet me for lunch?"

"Absolutely, Sam, where?"

"That little Italian restaurant just outside the base at 1100?"

"I'll be there, Sam. I take it I need to leave Danny at the office?"

"Yeah, unless you want both of us to be guilty of disobeying a direct order from Adm. Henderson."

"Okay, no Danny. See you at 1100 hours."

(Sam finishes getting the information she'll need for the budget meeting together, deals with a couple of things related to base operations, and, telling Adm. Henderson's secretary, Mrs. Tyson, she's going to lunch, leaves to meet her husband. Steve is already at the restaurant when Sam arrives and she smiles when she realizes that "Super Seal" has requested a table in the back of the restaurant and one that is no where near any other diners so they can have a "private" conversation. Ever the gentleman, Steve stands up as his wife approaches their table and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek before holding out her chair for her. Once they're seated, have placed their orders and glasses of iced tea are sitting in front of them, Steve takes one of Sam's hands in his and gives it an encouraging squeeze.)

"I take it Senior Chief Evans had some luck."

"Oh yeah. He found three different instances of data being altered over the past several months. All three times, the data altered related to the number of simulated 'kills' attributed to my aircraft during training exercises."

"That son of a bitch!"

(Steve is furious and Sam's reaction stuns him into a few seconds of being momentarily speechless because, at Steve's angry outburst, Sam bursts into laughter. If the situation weren't quite so serious, the expression on her husband's face would be truly priceless. Quickly getting a grip on her amusement, Sam explains why she's laughing.)

"Sorry, Steve, but that's exactly what I said when I realized Thorne was behind everything. Senior Chief Evans is pretty sure it's Thorne, too. Problem is, we can't prove it, and, we know there are at least two other people helping the bastard; someone in Washington who contacted JAG, and one here at Pearl who did the actual hacking. We don't know who these people are, and, again, we have no proof. The two computer specialists from San Diego N.A.S. are arriving at 1600, though, and Senior Chief Evans is personally meeting their plane and escorting them to my office. If Thorne, or anyone else, tries to approach them or speak to them, Lt. Atkins will step in and deal with the situation."

"That bastard actually thinks he's going to discredit you by altering data in a computer?"

"He may _think_ he's going to, but it's not going to happen, Steve. The Pentagon is aware of what we suspect and the two computer specialists from San Diego are going over all our computer systems with a microscope. Hopefully, it won't take them too long to track down who went in and altered the data."

"This explains a lot, Sam. I guess Thorne thought that having someone contact the JAG office and raising questions about you would prompt them to dig a little bit and they'd find the discrepancies which would cause them to dig deeper and make it appear you'd falsified information in your service record."

"Bingo."

"I want to get my hands on this guy so badly I can. . ."

"Hold up there, my Ninja, Adm. Henderson and I have this covered. Let's not give Thorne and _real_ ammunition against either one of us, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, but, Sam, if I happen to run across the guy in a dark alley . . ."

"I love that you want to take Thorne apart with your bare hands for me, but, as I told Lt. Cmdr. Monroe, we're going to take the high road on this one, Steve. I'm going to give Thorne just enough rope to hang himself and he most definitely will. What we have to do now is find out who the hacker is and get some hard evidence."

"You can be sure that whoever your hacker is, he or she is very good and they've done everything they can to cover their tracks; finding them isn't going to be easy."

"No, but we will find the hacker, Steve, and when we do, they'll give us Thorne on a silver platter."

"Still think you can save him, Sam?"

"No. . . I was completely wrong about Thorne, Steve. I should have listened to all of you a long time ago."

"You were trying to give him a chance, Sam. Yet another reason I love you; you always look for the good in everybody you meet."

"Yes, well, if I hadn't of been so stubborn, this whole mess could have been avoided. I'm sorry, Sailor."

"You don't ever have to apologize for trying to be a good person and a good officer, Sam. I'm just sorry that Joel Thorne decided to throw away the chance you offered him to become a good officer."

"Did I, Steve? Did I really try to help him or did I try to blindly impose my will on him?"

"First of all, you gave the man more chances than most people would have, and, secondly, you're his superior officer, Sam, you issued orders that he did his best to ignore without actually being insubordinate. Joel Thorne is an arrogant, self-centered, malicious individual and now he's trying to destroy your career. Yeah, you tried to help him and he threw it back in your face. Once you have the proof of what he's been doing, he'll be court-martialed and probably be given a prison term. The man made his bed; now he has to lie in it. You've done nothing wrong, Sam."


	51. Chapter 51

**CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 21, 2011**

(Steve drives out to the base and straight to the primary maintenance hangar to look for Senior Chief Evans. Although he told Sam he would back off, Steve has no intention of ignoring the situation, either. Locating Evans, Steve nods toward the man's office and steps inside to wait for him. Once he enters his office, Senior Chief Evans shuts the door and smiles at Steve.)

"Wondered how long it would be before you wanted to talk to me, Sir. Not sure what I can add that Cmdr. McGarrett hasn't already told you."

"I'm not here for information, Senior Chief."

"No, Sir, I didn't really think you were. I promise you, Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, I've got your wife's back, Sir."

"Good to know. I'd appreciate it if you'd give me a 'heads up' should the need arise. My wife is the most important person in the world to me, Senior Chief, and I take exception to anyone mistreating her in any way. When someone tries to damage her career, well, that really makes me angry."

"You're not alone, Sir. With the exception of Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, pretty much everyone on this base thinks the world of Commander McGarrett."

"Except the person who hacked into the computer system and changed the data. Hopefully the computer specialists from San Diego will be able to figure out who the hacker is and do it quickly. The sooner we identify the hacker, the sooner we can get him or her to roll over on Thorne, and the sooner that happens, the better for everyone. Until then . . ."

"I'll keep you in the loop, Sir."

"Thank you, Senior Chief. Oh, and should anything, anything at all, come up that you think I'd like to know, give me a call. My wife doesn't always share everything with me; at least, not right away, but I don't want to take any chances with this."

"No problem, Sir. For what it's worth, Cmdr. McGarrett is one of the finest officers I've ever served with, and she definitely knows how to take care of her aircraft. I'm not real sure what Lt. Cmdr. Thorne is trying to do here, but he's not going to get away with it as long as I'm around."

"I appreciate that, Senior Chief. Good to know Sam has people looking out for her besides me. Oh, and, Senior, I'd rather my wife didn't know we had this little talk."

"Agreed, Sir, I definitely do not want to get on the Commander's bad side."

(Steve grins as he shakes Senior Chief Evans' hand, leaves the maintenance hangar, and heads straight to the SEALs' building to see Tony. When Steve first lays eyes on Tony, he nearly laughs out loud. Tony is on the phone and the person on the other end is obviously Kono judging by the numerous, "Babes", "Sweethearts", and "Ks" Tony is uttering with almost every other breath, as well as the fact that Tony keeps running one hand through his hair in abject frustration. Tony motions at Steve to come into his office and have a seat while he finishes his call with his wife, and Steve coughs to cover the laughter that escapes him when Tony ends the call and drops his head into his hands before glancing up at Steve with a perplexed expression on his handsome face.)

"You know, I keep telling myself that this . . . whatever it is that has possessed my wife is only going to last another few weeks and the baby will be here and whatever demon that's invaded my wife's body will go away and I'll have my Kono back again, but, I swear, Steve, this is worse than Hell Week in BUD/S!"

"Come on, Tony, it can't be that bad."

"Just wait. I'm going to remind you that you said that when Sam's pregnant and the same evil beast takes control or your wife! One minute K's fine and the next she's acting like Linda Blair's character in The Exorcist!"

(Tony is getting more exasperated as he speaks and Steve is finding it harder and harder to control his laughter, but he also realizes that this isn't at all funny to Tony and tries to contain his mirth. Tony, deciding that he needs to "suck it up" and act like the SEAL that he is, shakes his head to redirect his thoughts and looks at Steve expectantly.)

"So, what's up?"

"Need you to do a little recon for me."

"Yeah? What'd you have in mind."

"I want to know everything Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne does, everywhere he goes, including the head, and everyone he talks to and what he says, if possible."

"Wow, what's he done this time?"

"Can't tell you; 'Need to Know' right now,"

"Okay, Boss, consider it done. Of course, the guys and I usually don't have the opportunity to spend much time at Flight Ops or on the flight line, but we'll figure something out."

"Thanks, Tony, I really appreciate it."

(Something in Steve's tone alerts Tony to the fact that, whatever it is Thorne's done to make Steve suspicious, it's highly personal. Narrowing his eyes as a wave of anger sweeps through him, Tony sits up a little straighter and looks Steve in the eye.)

"What's that bastard done to Sam?"

"Nothing, yet."

"What's he trying to do to her, Steve?"

"Can't; 'Need to Know'"

"Fair enough. Just tell me this, you don't think Thorne would try to physically hurt Sam, do you"

"No, he's not that stupid. Besides, Sam would kick his six from here to Alaska."

"Yeah, there is that. Okay, the guys and I will keep our eyes and ears open and I'll call you if we pick up on anything."


	52. Chapter 52

**CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 23, 2011**

(Satisfied that he's done all he can to make sure Sam's safe and also ensure he's kept in the loop as far as Thorne's activities are concerned, Steve heads back to his office. Steve is royally pissed off; more pissed than he's been in a long, long time, and he really, _really_ wants to get his hands on Joel Thorne.He made a promise to Sam, though, that he would leave Thorne alone for the time being and he will not go back on that promise. However, Joel Thorne hand damned well better watch his step, because, if Thorne so much as gets a parking ticket off-base, Steve will know about it and will be all over him like white on rice. No body messes with Sam and gets away with it; no body.

Libby Thrasher stands in the hallway just outside the door to Lana's room and watches as Lana walks toward her from the opposite end of the hallway completely unassisted. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Lana's gait and she does not stumble or hesitate. A huge grin appears on Lana's face as she reaches Libby and the two women exchange a quick hug. The physical therapist who was accompanying Lana tells her that she's going to let Lana's doctors know that she's back a one hundred percent and is being released from therapy. Thanking her, Lana turns back to Libby and puts her arm around the older woman's shoulders as they walk back into Lana's room.)

"I honestly don't know what I would have done if you had not been here with me every day, Libby. You and Mike have been wonderful throughout this whole ordeal. I can't tell you how much it means to me."

"Well, dear, since your own parents are gone, Mike and I wanted you to know that we were, and are, there for you."

"Libby, you know that I've asked Mike to walk me down the aisle at our wedding. I was wondering if . . . If you would stand-in as my mother, as well. You know, help me get dressed, be the last person seated before the processional starts, all the 'Mom' stuff, because, well, you and Mike are the closest thing I have to parents."

(Tears fill Libby's eyes as Lana is speaking and she hugs the younger woman tightly for a moment.)

"I would be honored, Lana. Of course, Mike and I will be your 'stand-in' parents. And not just at the wedding, either. We want you to feel that you can call on us at any time; we'll always be here for you."

"You and Mike are very special people, and we're all so very blessed to know you. Thank you, Libby, for everything."

"Thank you, Lana, for letting us be part of your life."

(Caroline knocks on Sam's office doorframe and walks in as Sam is glancing up. Parking her six on the corner of Sam's desk, Caroline looks at her sister with a somewhat contrite expression on her face.)

"I'm sorry, Sam. I've been on your six about 'you-know-who' almost constantly lately, and I'm sorry. You're right; he's your responsibility as CAG, and I shouldn't have stuck my nose into your business. I'm just worried about you, Sam. You're my sister and my best friend, and I love you. I don't like seeing you hurt or upset, and I was just trying to keep that from happening."

"It's okay, Caroline. I know you love me; I love you, too, and I also know you're just trying to protect me. Unfortunately, you can't help me with this one, but I appreciate your trying. If all goes well, none of us will have to worry about 'you-know-who' much longer. I asked Adm. Henderson if we could get a replacement pilot until Lt. Cmdr. Radner's leg heals and he's back on active duty so that Lt. Cmdr. Thorne's transfer isn't held up any longer. He told me to go ahead and try to find one, and I've just this minute sent the request to Washington. Hopefully, I'll get an answer soon."

"That's the best news I've heard in quite a while. Okay, again, I'm sorry for pushing you."

"Again, it's okay. What are sisters for anyway if not to drive each other crazy sometimes? Listen, Mom called and Lana's being discharged from the hospital on Friday and going back to work on Monday. Mom wants us to go out to her apartment Thursday night and make sure the laundry's done, dishes are washed and put up, dusting and vacuuming gets cone, etc., etc., etc."

"I think that's a great idea! I'll be glad to help."

(Steve has just gotten off the phone with the investigator from H.P.D. who handled Lana's accident. Steve wants a copy of the file and the man promised to get one to him as soon as possible. His cellular phone rings as he hangs up his desk phone and Sam's name and number pop up on the caller I.D.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"Hey, Sailor. Need to run a couple of things by you. Lana's being discharged on Friday, and Mom, Caroline, and I are going over to her apartment Thursday night and do a little cleaning before she gets home. And Caroline's invited us all over to their house for dinner on Friday night, and I told her I'd help her out. That okay with you?"

"Sure, Sam, and I'm also sure that Lana will appreciate anything you guys do."

"That offer to spend the weekend on my parents' boat still stand?"

"You bet it does, Beautiful."

"Okay, then. I'm thinking we can go straight to the marina as soon as we leave Caroline's and Danny's Friday night."

Works for me. I'll get the boat ready Thursday night while you're at Lana's and then go to the grocery store and get our supplies Friday afternoon. I can drop everything off at the boat before dinner."

"Sounds like a plan, Sailor. We can throw some clothes into an overnight bag before we go to Caroline's and Danny's so we should be all set. 'Course I'm pretty sure that swimsuits are about all the clothes we'll need."

"Yeah, and we won't be needing those most of the time."


	53. Chapter 53

**CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 23, 2011**

(The budget meeting lasts a whole lot longer that either Sam or Adm. Henderson like but there's absolutely nothing either of them can do about it. At 1730, both Sam and Adm. Henderson head to her office and find Senior Chief Evans and Lt. Atkins standing guard at the closed door. After asking if they encountered any problems and hearing that they did not, Sam and Adm. Henderson exchange relieved glances and enter Sam's office. Inside, they find two male officers who identify themselves as Lieutenants Taylor and Carr. After introductions are exchanged, Adm. Henderson gets right down to business.)

"First of all, welcome to Pearl. I apologize for your wait but Cmdr. McGarrett and I were in a budget meeting that, unfortunately, ran long. Next, have you been briefed on why you're here?"

"No, Sir. All we were told is that we would be TDY here until a classified computer issue was resolved to your satisfaction."

"Gentlemen, we have reason to believe that someone here at Pearl has hacked into our computer systems and altered data related to weapons usage during simulated training exercises. Your job is to find out who the hacker is and help us set a trap for them."

"Is there any possibility that the hacker is selling this information to terrorists, Sir?"

"That possibility always exists, Lieutenant, but we believe the sole purpose for someone hacking into our system is to discredit Cmdr. McGarrett."

"I see. Does anyone else know why we're here, Admiral?"

"No, Lieutenant. As far as everyone, other than Cmdr. McGarrett, Lt. Atkins, Senior Chief Evans, and myself, are concerned, the two of you are here for training on our system and that's all. I've arranged quarters for you in the BOQ while you're here, but, if anyone approaches either of you for any reason, I expect you to report it to either Cmdr. McGarrett or me immediately. If you have any questions while you're here, see  
>Cmdr. McGarrett, and you'll also report directly to her. Lt. Atkins and Senior Chief Evans will see you to your quarters and you can get started at 0700 tomorrow. And, gentlemen? Remember, you are here for training on our system, not looking for a hacker."<p>

"Aye, aye, Sir."

(Sam goes by the hospital when she leaves the base and finds that Kono, Tony, Caroline, and Danny have already been there and gone, and Steve and her father are the only people with Lana and Chin.)

"Hey, Sam, Libby told me what you and she and Caroline were doing tonight at my apartment. You guys really don't have to do that, but thank you."

"Yes we do, Lana! We don't want you to go home to a messy apartment. . . So, I guess I need to get my six to the dress shop for a final fitting on my dress."

"Yes, you do, but Caroline called them while they were here and she included you in the appointment along with her and Kono. Can you go by there at 11:30 tomorrow?"

"Unless an emergency comes up at the base. I don't have to fly until tomorrow afternoon. Okay, I have to go before Mom calls wanting to know why I'm not at your apartment yet. You need anything, Sweetie?"

"No, I'm good, and, Sam? Thank you."

"Not a problem. Okay, then, I'm out of here."

(As soon as Sam is out the door, Lana looks over at Chin, Steve, and Mike with a sweet and somewhat mischievous expression on her face.)

"So, I guess since Libby and Mike have 'adopted' me, that means that I now have two new sisters and two new brothers-in-law which means that, once we get married, so will Chin. Bet Danny has even realized that, yet."

"I'm going to be related to Danny?"

"Hey, Chin, you can deal with it if I can."

"It's not that bad, Son, it hasn't killed Steve. . . Yet."

"No, it hasn't, Mike. In fact, having Danny for a brother-in-law isn't bad at all."

"Wow, I never thought I'd hear you say that, Steve."

"Yeah, and if you ever tell him I said that, I'll have to kill you."

"See?"

"You boys stop that! Danny is a very sweet man; you two just don't want to admit it."

"Danny? Sweet? I'm not sure you're ready to be discharged, Lana; you're hallucinating."

"I am not, Chin. Danny is sweet."

"You're so not going to win this argument, Chin, so you might as well stop trying."

"I see that, Steve."

(In no time, Libby, Caroline, and Sam have Lana's apartment straightened up and Libby even went by the florist and picked up a couple of arrangements of fresh-cut flowers for her great room and bedroom. When mother and daughters are satisfied that the apartment will pass inspection, they make sure they lock up before heading home. Mike is home when Libby gets there and he has a glass of wine for her in his hand when she walks through the door. Giving his wife a quick kiss, he shuts and locks the door behind her.)

"You and the girls get everything squared away at Lana's?"

"We did. At least that sweet child won't be coming home to a messy apartment tomorrow. You know, Mike, I'm so glad we decided to move out here. I can't imagine not being close to our children; especially with everything that's going on."

"I think you need them as much as they need you, Libby. You are a remarkable woman. Of course, I knew that when I married you. In fact, it's one of the reasons I fell in love with you. You're always ready and willing to be there for other people no matter what. Sam's just like you in that respect."

"She is. Caroline is too; she's just not as open about it as Sam and I are. And, of course, Sam had an excellent example to follow in Anne. Sometimes I wonder what Anne and Jonathan would think of the way Sam turned out; what they'd think of Steve."

"They'd be just as proud of Sam as we are and they'd absolutely love Steve."

"I'm glad Sam has him, Mike. Ever since Sam talked with Chin the night of Lana's accident and told him about what happened to Anne and Jonathan, I've been worried about her; that brought up some pretty awful memories for that child."

"Sam's a strong woman, Libby, and she has Steve. She'll be just fine."

"I know she will, but you weren't there that day, Mike; at Bethesda. As long as I live I will never forget that day or what it did to Sam. That horrible NCIS agent literally put his hand at her back and pushed her into the stretcher Jonathan's body was lying on. He was relentless! No wonder the poor child fainted!"

"I'm so sorry that either one of you had to go through that. If I had been in Washington, it would not have happened!"

"You saw Anne and Jonathan after the mortuary had worked their magic. When Sam and I saw them. . . Well, it was like something out of a horror movie. . . Well, that was a long time ago and it's in the past."

"And that's where it needs to stay. . . So, what are you making to take to Caroline's and Danny's tomorrow night?"


	54. Chapter 54

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 23, 2011**

**A/N: Okay, I don't know if there's a residual problem with my computer after I got rid of the virus or if the site is messing with me, but, I have attempted to remove and repost chapter Chapter 53 three different times because there is a BIG error and the site won't let me do it! In Chapter 49, Sam gives Sr. Chief Evans pictures of the two people coming from San Diego and tells him their names are Lt. John Sanders and Ens. Tom Rogers. In chapter 53, they're identified as Lts. Taylor and Carr. Major screw up! Since I can't change it, please "think" Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers. Sorry, I've tried to correct it and can't; at least not right now. Thanks for reading and reviewing; I love ya'll! Michelle**

(Knowing that Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers from San Diego N.A.S. are going to start searching for the hacker at 0700, Sam makes sure she's at the base by 0630 Friday morning. She wants to be in the room that houses the computers in question when Sanders and Rogers arrive to begin their "training" to see the reactions of the Pearl personnel who are present. The hacker might just reveal themselves merely by how they react to two new tech people going through the system. Then again, it couldn't be that easy. Sam makes sure she meets the San Diego personnel outside the building so she can escort them inside and introduce them to the Pearl personnel who are on-duty. No one so much as blinks and seems to take the visitors in stride. So much for finding the hacker quickly! After telling Lt. Sanders and  
>Ens. Rogers to let her know if they need anything, Sam returns to her office to find Caroline heading her way from the opposite direction looking distracted.)<p>

"Hey."

"Hey, what time do you want us at the house tonight?"

"Well, I told everyone else to be there around seven, so, I don't know, as soon as you can get there after going home and changing, and that means no fooling around with tall, dark, and extremely sexy when you get home, Samantha!"

"Not to worry, Caroline, Steve and I are heading to the marina after dinner. We're spending the weekend on the boat, so we'll wait until we get out on the ocean to fool around."

"Thanks, Sam, but that's TMI for me."

"Hey, you're the one who brought it up."

"I swear you and Steve were rabbits in another life."

"Really? You're gonna start with the rabbit thing again?"

"If the shoe fits . . . "

"Keep it up, Caroline, and I won't come over early and help you."

"Yes you will. 'Cause if you don't, dinner will be delayed for at least an hour and you and Steve won't get to the marina and get the boat out on the water, and . . "

"Okay, okay, I get it. What are we having for dinner, anyway?"

"Sausage lasagna per Lana's request."

"Oh my God, I _love_ your sausage lasagna! Need me to stop by the store or anything?"

"Nope. Just need you in the kitchen and following instructions."

"I can do that."

"Okay, then. Who are the two people playing around with the simulation computers?"

"Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers from San Diego N.A.S. They're here TDY to do some training on our system."

"Hmm, interesting. Okay, I'll see you on the flight line this afternoon."

(Long after Caroline has left Sam is still troubled by the fact that she just flat-out lied to her sister, but she had no choice. Until the hacker is identified and they can gather some hard, factual evidence against the hacker and Joel Thorne, Sam has to keep up the appearance of the two officers from San Diego being at Pearl for training; even if it means being less than truthful to those under her command, even if it means lying to her own sister. . .

Surprisingly, Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne has been on his best behavior since getting back from leave, and everyone has noticed. Sam, although grateful that Thorne's not giving her a headache at every turn, it highly suspicious of his seemingly angelic attitude and so are Adm. Henderson and Senior Chief Evans. After they finish their simulation exercises for the day, and Sam's squadron wins hands down, Thorne makes it a point to walk over to Sam on the flight line and in front of both squadrons and shake her hand in congratulations. Sam is so stunned that she just stares, open-mouthed, for a moment. Within minutes, the whole base is buzzing about the incident, and that's how Tony Montgomery hears about what happened. Within seconds of confirming the incident, he is on the phone calling Steve.)

"McGarrett."

"You're so not going to believe this, Boss."

"Believe what, Lieutenant?"

"Lt. Cmdr. Thorne just congratulated your wife, on the flight line and in front of both squadrons and the entire maintenance crew, for winning all three simulated engagements against his squadron today."

"The son of a bitch is up to something; something big!"

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too. Scuttlebutt says he's been bragging to some of the newer pilots telling them that, if they want to 'move up the ladder' quickly, they need to stick with him. Thorne's saying that, in the very near future, he'll be the one running things around here as far as Flight Ops are concerned."

"Has he now? We'll just see about that! Thanks for the 'heads up'."

"No problem. Just let me know where and when the take down of Thorne's going down; I really want to be there if at all possible."

"Can't make any promises, but I'll do my best. Thanks, Tony."

"Any time, Boss."


	55. Chapter 55

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2011**

(Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers have worked the entire day and have not found anything out of the ordinary by 1700 hours Friday, and, after they report their lack of progress to Sam, she dismisses them for the day. Although she has informed Adm. Henderson that she and Steve will be spending the weekend out on the ocean on the boat, she has also assured him that she will have cellular service and, if not, she can be reached through the Coast Guard by radio. Smiling grimly, Adm. Henderson tells Sam that, while he hopes she enjoys her weekend with her husband, he will find her should he need her even if he has to send a helo for her. They both know he is not joking; if Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers find anything that would be incriminating, Adm. Henderson wants to act on it immediately. Anxiety gnaws at Sam as she drives home from the base, but she is determined to enjoy her weekend with Steve and starts thinking about the fact that she and her handsome, sexy, totally "hot" husband are going to be all alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for the entire weekend. . .

Joel Thorne has just cleared the gate at the base when his cellular phone rings and he frowns at the caller I.D.)

"What?"

"There are two officers here from San Diego N.A.S. going through the simulation computer."

"I know that, Hell, the whole base knows that. They're training on our system."

"No. They're systematically going through the system, performing diagnostics, cross-checking sector variations and looking for hidden files. They're looking for proof that someone has altered the data."

"So what if they are? You swore to me that you could make the changes and cover your tracks so that no one would know the data had been altered. Are you now telling me that you screwed up?"

"Of course not. I just thought you should know that someone suspects something or they wouldn't be here. Watch your back."

"Always do. Now, you just stay calm and act normally. Don't give anyone a reason to suspect that you've done anything but your job."

"Fine, but you remember what I want and see that I get it!"

"Or?"

"Or I'll go to Adm. Henderson and tell him everything!"

"That would be a mistake. What you did could be considered treason, and the United States government still executes people found guilty of treason. And don't make the mistake of threatening me again! You're in this up to your eyeballs and I have proof of your involvement. The only 'proof' against me is your word. Think about it . . . Who are they going to believe; you or me?"

(Sam gets home before Steve does because he went by the grocery store and then took the supplies for the weekend to the boat. By the time he gets home, Sam has changed clothes, packed a couple of duffel bags with their clothes and personal items, and is picking out some CDs and DVDs to take with them. A sexy grin spreading across his face, Steve leans against the living room wall with his arms crossed in front of him as he looks down to where Sam is sitting on the floor in front of the media cabinet.)

"What are you doing, Sam?"

"Just grabbing some CDs and DVDs to take with us."

"CDs, okay, but, do you really think we're going to be watching DVDs?"

"No, but I like to be prepared."

"Okay, Sam, bring them, but I promise you they'll never even come out of the cases."

"They haven't found anything, Steve. They're still looking, but they haven't found anything in the computer system so far."

"They just started looking this morning, Sam. Whoever hacked into the system is good and you can bet your six they've covered their tracks well."

"Maybe too well. What if they can't find anything, Steve?"

"They'll find it, Sam. Besides, everyone who participated in those training exercises knows exactly what happened and how many 'kills' you had. Have a little faith, Sam, this is going to be okay."

"Okay, let's go so I can help Caroline so dinner will be ready on time so we can eat and then head to the marina. The sooner it's just you and me out in the middle of the ocean, the better, Sailor."

"Not taking the DVDs after all, Beautiful?"

"Nope. You're right, Sailor, they'll never come out of the cases."

(Caroline is very calmly layering homemade pasta, several different kinds of cheese, homemade Italian sausage, and a special sauce she refuses to give anyone, including her mother and her sister, the recipe for into a couple of large baking dishes when Sam and Steve arrive at the Williams'. Sam immediately steps into the kitchen to help her sister with dinner while Steve heads out to the covered patio, at Caroline's request, to help Danny set-up the tables and chairs. By now, they all "know the drill" at each other's houses, and Steve reaches into a large ice chest located near the door from the den to the patio and retrieves an ice cold beer. Danny actually has everything all set-up and ready to go; right down to having table clothes and candles in place. Steve is impressed, and he looks around with an expression on his face that reeks of "smart ass". Danny, who is very proud of his accomplishment, sends a glare in his brother-in-law's direction.)

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just a little . . . Amazed that you did this all by yourself."

"You don't think I'm capable of accomplishing a simple task like setting up tables and chairs, boy genius?"

"I didn't say that."

"You were thinking it!"

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were."

"Was not."

"Were, too."

"Danny!"

"Steven!"

(From the driveway, their mother-in-law's calm, serene voice can be heard as Libby and Mike enter the back yard from the driveway gate.)

"Are you two boys fighting?"

"No, Libby."

"We're not fighting. We're just having a little debate."

"Yeah, a debate."

"Hmph. The two of you were bickering and don't bother trying to deny it. My "Mom radar" is up and tracking. Mike, stay out here and make sure these boys don't have another 'debate' while I go inside and see if the girls need any help. And for your information, boys, you should be thanking your lucky stars I'm the one who caught the two of you. If Sam and Caroline had walked out here and heard your little 'debate', you, Steve, would not be spending the weekend on the boat with Sam, and you, Danny, would be getting to know the ceiling in your great room well because you'd be staring at it all night!"


	56. Chapter 56

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2011**

(Steve and Danny both feel a rush of love for their mother-in-law and, feeling rather foolish, they grin at each other before looking over at their father-in-law. For his part, Mike calmly walks over to the cooler, grabs a beer, sits down in one of the chairs, and looks up at his sons-in-law with a knowing expression on his face.)

"Let that be a lesson to you boys; wives can slip up on you when you least expect it, and I can tell you from personal experience that it doesn't matter how much training or experience you have. Wives are way more dangerous than any terrorist you'll ever run across, and my wife and daughters are the best, or worst depending on how you look at it, of the lot."

"Yeah, well, I so do not want to stare at the ceiling in the great room all night!"

"And I fully intend to enjoy every second of this weekend on the boat; just me and Sam. With everything that's been going on lately, we both _need_ this weekend, and my number one priority is making sure Sam gets to relax."

"Then stop arguing, bickering, fighting, whatever it is the two of you do and straighten up. Trust me, Libby's nothing compared to Sam and Caroline when they get cranked up."

"Yeah, I've been on the receiving end of Caroline's temper a time or two, Mike. I know exactly what you're talking about."

"Maybe you should read me in, Mike, because, in all the years I've known her, I don't think I've ever seen Sam really pissed off; at least, not at me anyway."

"And I hope you never do, Son. Let's just say that Sam has a way of making you feel like, well, . . . . You feel horrible when she's really, _really_ mad with you and leave it at that."

"You're kidding, right? I mean, you and Sam have never, ever had a 'knock down drag out'?"

"No, Danny, we haven't."

"I don't believe it. No couple goes through life without having at least one fight."

"Danny, I'm telling you; Sam and I have never, ever had a serious fight and we're not going to if I can help it!"

"Still don't believe you."

"Fine, whatever."

"Now, you two aren't going to start bickering again, are you? Sam or Caroline could come through that door at any minute and the two of you are going to start again? Didn't either one of you hear a word I just said?"

"We heard you, Mike, and we'll be the picture of brotherly love when the girls come out here."

"Absolutely! Caroline and Sam will think we've become BFFs."

"You _are_ BFFs; you just won't admit it."

(In the kitchen, Libby watches her daughters as they work together effortlessly to finish putting dinner together and her hear swells with love and motherly pride for her two beautiful girls. She really has been blessed, and, although there have been plenty of tough times and sadness, the positive things far outweigh the negative. Not only is she married to the love of her life, but she has two beautiful, intelligent and kind daughters, two handsome, smart, and caring sons-in-law and she is beyond thankful that Steve and Danny worship the ground her girls walk on, she has a beautiful, sweet granddaughter in Gracie, and she and Mike have more or less become surrogate parents to the rest of their daughters' friends, as well. Feeling that she's getting a little too serious, she gets up from the bar stool she was sitting on and asks Caroline what she can do to help. . . .

Kono and Tony arrive and Tony joins the guys out on the patio while Kono heads inside. Kono insists on helping and she and Libby start cutting up vegetables for the salad while Sam puts starts steaming asparagus and Caroline works on dessert."

"So what did the doctor say, Kono?"

"He said that the baby and I are both fine and we're on schedule, Carline."

"Did he do another ultrasound?"

"He did, Sam."

"And?"

"You're as bad as Sam and Caroline, Libby!"

"Kono, dear, just humor us, please. What are you having; a girl or a boy?"

(On the patio, Tony, too, has helped himself to a beer from the cooler and then joins Steve, Danny, and Mike at one of the tables.)

"Man, I'm glad it's Friday and I don't have to go to the base tomorrow!"

"Things been a little rough lately, Son?"

"Not really rough, Admiral, but you know how it is when you haven't been on an op in awhile; the team starts getting restless, even with all the training we're doing."

"Better not let Kono hear you say that, Tony. She'll accuse you of not wanting to be here when the baby's born."

"Yeah, Steve, I'm well aware of that. Truth be told, I'm kind of glad my team hasn't been called up lately, for that very reason. Not the part about Kono getting mad, because we all know she would, but because _I_ want to be here when my child is born."

"There's nothing like it, Son. The birth of a child is a miraculous event, and you definitely do not want to miss out on something like that."

"No, you don't. I remember Grace being born like it was yesterday. One minute your wife is calling you all sorts of vile names because she's hurting like Hell, and the next . . . The next you're holding this tiny, precious human being in your hands; one that you were partly responsible for bringing into this world, and you just . . . Melt."

(Mike, because he knows exactly what Danny is talking about because he's been there, gives his son-in-law a look that only the two of them understand. Steve and Tony look at Danny with a new respect as they see yet another side to Danny Williams they've not seen before.)

"K went to the doctor today and they did an ultrasound. Let me tell you, seeing your baby while it's still in the womb is . . . Amazing."

"So do you know if it's a boy or a girl, yet?"

"Yeah, Danny, we do."

"And?"

"And, we're having a . . ."

(In the kitchen, Kono is grinning from ear to ear.)

"We're having a . . . I can't tell you yet. Lana and Chin aren't here."

"You're kidding me, right?"

'No, Caroline, I am not kidding you. You're going to have to wait until Lana and Chin get here. Then, I'll tell everybody at the same time."

(Out on the patio . . .)

"Oops! Forgot for a second there I'd promised Kono we'd tell everybody at the same time and Lana and Chin aren't here yet."


	57. Chapter 57

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2011**

(No amount of begging, pleading, or cajoling can pry the gender of baby Montgomery out of either Mommy or Daddy, and even Libby and Mike are a little frustrated. Lana and Chin finally arrive and Lana looks beautiful. The first few minutes after their arrival is spent getting them both something to drink and everyone finding a comfortable place to sit in the Williams' great room because the guys do not want to be left out when Kono and Tony make their big announcement. Finally, when everyone is settled, Danny, as usual, paves the way.)

"Okay, now that we're all here, would you two please tell us what you're having? I mean, Caroline and Sam are about to jump out of their skin."

"Are you sure it's just Caroline and Sam, Danny? You seem awfully anxious."

"Yes, Kono, I'm sure. Now is it a girl or a boy?"

"We should all be meeting Eric Kekoa Montgomery shortly."

(Smiles spread across every face in the room as Tony's words sink in and they realize Kono and Tony are having a boy and have already named him. Lana, her face alive with happiness, explains the baby's middle name to everyone else.)

"A son and you've already picked out names! Kekoa means 'brave one' in Hawaiian, and any child of yours certainly will be; brave, that is. Eric?"

"Eric is Tony's middle name and his father's first name."

"Had you picked out names for a girl?"

"We had. If the baby had been a girl, we would have named her 'Erica Kai. Erica for the same reason as Eric and 'Kai' means ocean in Hawaiian. Since both Tony and I love the water, it just felt right."

"Grace was right! She's going to be thrilled!"

"Um, Caroline, would you mind not telling Gracie just yet? I'd like to tell her myself, and, if I was all of you, I'd act surprised when I do tell her. I have a feeling she's going to be awfully mad if she finds out you guys knew before she did."

"I think you're right, Kono, and I, for one, so do not want Gracie mad at me."

"That's because you're a very smart man, Steve."

(Dinner is wonderful and a discussion takes place about Lana's and Chin's upcoming wedding which is just eight days away. Unlike Sam and Caroline, Lana already knows where Chin is taking her on their honeymoon; San Francisco because it's somewhere she's always wanted to go and never been. So, after making sure they've taken care of all the last minute details, the conversation turns to San Francisco and all the wonderful things there are to see and do there. Finally, everyone finishes their dessert, and Steve, Danny, and Tony pitch in to help clear the table and clean up. Knowing that Sam and Steve want to leave so they can get to the marina and take the boat out, Mike takes two plates out of Steve's hands and shoos his son-in-law out of the kitchen.)

"We've got this, Son. You and Sam head out."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I may have been married for thirty-five years, but I haven't forgotten what it's like to want to get my wife out in the middle of nowhere just the two of us."

"Thanks, Mike."

"Anytime, Son."

(Sam is apparently getting the same treatment from the ladies inside and Lana steps in when Sam opens a cabinet to get a storage container for leftovers.)

"I'll do that. I believe tall, dark, and extremely sexy has other things in mind for you right now, Sam."

"You just got out of the hospital!"

"And I'm going back to work on Monday and getting married a week from tomorrow. About time I got back to doing normal, everyday things. Go."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go; have a great time."

"Okay. . . Lana, I'm so glad you're okay and everything's working out for you and Chin."

"I know. Thank you, Sam, twice, now, you've helped me get my head on straight. I sincerely hope you don't have to do it again."

"Me, either, but, should you need me, just call me, Lana. I don't mind at all."

(Danny and Tony are moving tables and chairs around on the patio when Steve steps outside and walks over to help them. Ever since telling everyone the baby is a boy, Tony's had a silly, little grin on his face although he probably doesn't even realize it. Steve, in an excellent mood because he's about to begin a romantic weekend with Sam, can't resist giving Tony a hard time; or trying to, anyway.)

"Good thing you're not on an op right now, Lieutenant, you're more than a little distracted."

"A son. I'm going to have a son."

"No, Tony, Kono's having the baby; you just get to hold her hand while she squeezes yours hard enough to break it and curses at you violently for hours."

"A tiny, little baby boy; my son."

"What do you think, Danny? Can we take him?"

"Are you kidding? Right now a mouse could take him."

"Yeah, and without lifting a paw, too."

"Eric Kekoa Montgomery. . . My son."

"Hey, Danny? If he's this bad now, what's he going to be like once the baby's born?"

"Not sure, Steve. He's starting to scare me."

"Yeah, me, too. How long does this . . . fascination thing last, anyway?"

"The rest of your life."

"Wow. Now, _you're_ starting to scare _me_, Danny."

"You don't understand all this now, Steve, but just wait until you and Sam have a baby and you will. Becoming a father is . . . It's the most amazingly awesome feeling I've ever experienced."


	58. Chapter 58

**++CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2011**

(An hour later, Sam and Steve are in open water and have almost reached the spot where Steve wants to anchor for the night. There is a full moon, a pleasant breeze, and stars twinkle in the night sky like brilliant diamonds. Steve, who quickly changed into a pair of swim trunks as soon as they reached the boat while Sam was casting off lines at the bow and stern, allows himself to truly relax for the first time all day. Ever since Sam agreed to a weekend on the boat, just the two of them, he's been worried that something would happen to prevent them from going. Sam has gone below to put on her swimsuit and Steve has a few minutes to himself. When they first lost their baby, they were both naturally upset. Sam has done relatively well in the ensuing months, but there have been times when Steve has seen a deep sadness in his wife's eyes. Not until tonight, when he saw the joy and wonder on Kono's face and in Tony's eyes, did Steve truly realize just how much _he_ was still hurting over the loss of their baby. He and Sam have followed the doctors' orders to the letter and, hopefully, they will one day have a healthy baby of their own, but, right now, it's hard to deal with at times. As much as he hates to admit it, he was a little jealous when Tony got lost in his own little world while thinking about his and Kono's baby, and Steve is beginning to understand what Sam's been going through a little better now. Sam comes back top side just in time to help Steve pull down the sails and anchor the boat for the night. In short order, they have the very thickly padded, very comfortable deck pad secured to the deck, lots of large, comfortable pillows strewn all around, and sheets and a light-weight comforter tucked securely under the bottom of the deck pad. Sam finishes getting their "bed" ready for the night while Steve disappears into the galley. He returns moments later after having put one of Sam's CDs into the boat's stereo system and retrieved a bottle of wine and two glasses from the fridge. Dropping down onto the deck pad next to Sam, Steve opens the wine and hands her a glass. For a few minutes, they both sit back against the pillows and just enjoy the beautiful night, the fingers of one of Sam's hands entwined with Steve's. Sam feels Steve's gaze on her and turns her head to meet his eyes. The expression on his face is one of love and gentleness and Sam's heart just melts.)

"I'm so sorry, Sam. I don't think I really understood exactly what you were going through until tonight. If I could take your pain away, I would, Sweetheart."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Steve, it's your pain, too. We can't go back in time and change things, Steve, but we can move forward. Yeah, there have been a couple of times when I've looked at Kono and it's hurt me, but every time I start feeling sorry for myself, I think about what Mom and Dad went through not once, but four different times, and, well, it makes me ashamed of myself. I love you, Steve, with all my heart and I very much want to have your baby and, God willing, that will happen one day. Right now, well, I'm just so very thankful to have you in my life."

"God, Sam, I love you . . So much so that it scares me sometimes. I would simply stop breathing if anything ever happened to you. You are the most precious thing in the world to me, Baby; you always will be. I would do anything for you.. . God, Sam, I didn't mean to make you cry, Sweetheart!"

"You didn't, Steve. I just love you so damn much that I just can't help myself sometimes. I have _never_ felt this way about anyone; no one's even come close. You're my life, Sailor."

(Steve takes the wine glass from Sam's hand and places it, along with his, in the ice bucket next to the bottle of wine, pulls Sam into his arms, and kisses her deeply. There's passion in his kiss, but there is also love, deep, intense love and Sam realizes that she's missed having time alone with her husband; just the two of them like this. Sam kisses him back as she slides her arms around his neck and pulls him down so that he is covering her body with his; her fingers running lightly along the back of his neck and causing heat to rush through his body instantly. Sam immediately feels Steve's erection against her stomach straining to be freed from his swim trunks and her pulse ratchets up a couple of notches. Steve's mouth moves from Sam's to nibble down along her jaw line and her neck until he reaches the sweet spot on her collar bone and nips the sensitive skin there just hard enough to give her goose bumps. One of his hands finds and pulls the strings of her bikini top and he soon tosses it to the deck. His mouth latches onto her nipple and she arches up into his muscled chest, and one of his large hands captures her other breast. Sam's hands slide down Steve's muscled back and find their way into the waistband of his swim trunks to knead his bottom. Within a matter of seconds, Steve has shifted so that Sam can pull the swim trunks down and off his body and then reaches for her bikini bottom and swiftly pulls it off her eager body, as well. Once they are skin to skin, Steve settles himself between Sam's thighs and ever so slowly slides inside her welcoming warmth while kissing her senseless. For a moment, Steve remains perfectly still, and, lifting his head, looks down into Sam's emerald green eyes which are glittering with need.)

"I love you, Sam. Never doubt that for a minute. You're the only woman I've ever or will ever love."

"Me, too, Steve. I'll love you for all eternity."

(Steve fuses his mouth to Sam's and begins to move slowly within her, reveling in how good, how right making love to her feels. Sam's nails rake down his back and she begins to meet his every thrust as her breath comes in halting gasps and she urges him to increase his pace. Soon, they are both gasping for air as Steve drives into Sam relentlessly until she goes over the edge gasping out his name and he follows her a few moments later.)


	59. Chapter 59

**CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2011**

(After helping Caroline clean up, Lana and Chin say goodnight to everyone because, although she's been given a clean bill of health and is returning to work on Monday, Lana doesn't want to push herself too hard her first day out of the hospital. She and Chin get back to her apartment a little before ten and go to bed. Lana is very thankful to be lying in her own bed with Chin's strong arms wrapped around her after being in the hospital for weeks, and pleasant thoughts of her upcoming wedding and little Eric Montgomery fill her head as she nods off to sleep. . .

Tony is already in bed when Kono finishes brushing her teeth and climbs slowly into the bed beside him. Tony's arm immediately goes around his wife and his other hand splays across her tummy while a look of wonder crosses his face.)

"We're having a son, K."

"Yes, Tony, I was there when the doctor did the ultra sound, remember?"

"Come on, K, you know what I mean. We're having a little boy. We can teach him to swim and surf and dive and . . . "

"And hand-to-hand combat and how to move around without making a sound, and. . ."

"Hey, he's just a little baby, K! He's no where near old enough to learn all the Ninja stuff, yet!"

"Nor is he anywhere near old enough to learn to swim and surf and dive, either, Tony."

"Yeah, okay, I just . . . I'm ready for the little guy to get here, Babe."

"I know. Believe me, I am, too. It won't be much longer now, Tony, just a few more weeks."

"I love you, K."

"Love you, too."

(Caroline had a lot of help cleaning up and everything is taken care of by the time her parents leave. Coming out of the bathroom after putting on a gown and brushing her teeth, Caroline sees Danny standing in front of their dresser holding a picture of Grace when she was a baby and smiling.)

"What 'cha doing, Romeo?"

"Just remembering when Grace was a baby. She was so small, Caroline; at least, it seemed like she was."

"All babies are small, Danny."

"Yeah, I know, but Grace just seemed to be really tiny. She'd look up at me will those big, blue eyes of hers and laugh every time I picked her up."

"It was probably gas, Danny."

"Hey, it wasn't gas _every_ time! The first time I held her right after she was born she wrapped her little hand around my pinky and I became her slave forever. She definitely has me completely wrapped around her little finger. As do you, gorgeous, but Grace was first."

"That's okay, Romeo. If it was any other female besides Grace I'd be jealous, but I understand. Grace has me wrapped, too."

"Yeah, she sort of has that effect on people."

"Grace is a wonderful, little girl, Danny. I feel very blessed to be her step-mother, and the fact that she calls me 'Mom', well, I can't tell you how special that makes me feel."

"She loves you, Caroline. Did I tell you that Rachel said she got a call from the mother of one of Grace's friends the other day? Said the woman was concerned because of something Grace told the little girl."

"Yeah? What'd she say?"

"She said she was really lucky because she had _two_ mothers. The woman who called Rachel overheard Grace and called Rachel because she thought Grace was, well, making things up."

"Who is that woman? I'll kill her for accusing Grace of lying!"

"Calm down, Gorgeous, Rachel told her Grace was most certainly _not_ making anything up and, not that it was any of her business, but you were Grace's step-mother and Grace loved you so much she calls you 'Mom'. And then, Rachel told the nosy witch that she was very glad that Grace had a wonderful step-mother like you."

"Rachel said that?"

"She did."

"You know, Danny, we just might need to have dinner with Rachel and Stan sometime. I think it would be wonderful for Grace to know that we all get along well enough to get together every now and then."

"Wow. _That's_ an interesting thought."

(Libby is very quiet on the way home and Mike knows his wife well enough to know that something's on her mind. He waits until they are getting ready for bed before asking her what's bothering her.)

"What's on your mind, Libby?"

"Sam. Something's bothering her, Mike."

"Well, for one thing, she's got a lot of responsibilities as CAG, Libby, and she's been dealing with a problem officer for quite some time. For another, she's been worried about Lana and I'm sure that talking to Chin about Anne's and Jonathan's accident took a lot out of her. Sam's fine."

"She's not 'fine', Mike. Everything you said is true, but there's something else bothering her."

"Well, whatever it is, she isn't ready to share it with us right now, so we need to leave it alone until she is. Besides, you know as well as I do that Steve is going to take care of Sam."

"If she'll let him; Steve may not even know what's bothering her."

"Wanna bet? I can guarantee you that Steve knows everything that's going on with Sam, and, if something _is_ bothering her and she doesn't tell him about it, he'll move Heaven and Earth to find out what it is one way or the other. That boy waited forever and a day for Sam, Libby, because he truly loves her; he would die for her, so, yeah, if something's upsetting her, Steve will know what it is and he'll take care of it. Okay?"

"You're right, Mike, as you usually are; I just can't help worrying, though."

"Of course, you can't; Sam's our daughter, but she'll be fine, Libby. . . If you absolutely must worry about something, why don't you worry about what colors you want to put in the new bathroom?"

"The new bathroom?"

"I talked with the contractor Steve used for their remodel a couple of days ago. He's coming out here next week to take a look and see how much trouble it's going to be to enlarge our bedroom and bathroom."

"Oh, Mike. . . I love you."


	60. Chapter 60

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 24, 2011**

(Sam awakens to the gentle sound of water lapping against the boat and the equally gentle feeling of the boat riding the soft waves. It is still very dark and a quick glance at her cellular phone, which is inside one of the deep pockets on the side of the deck pad, tells her that it's only 0230 hours. Turning in Steve's arms, Sam smiles lovingly at the sight of her husband's handsome face relaxed in sleep. Pulling the sheet and comforter a little higher over both of them, Sam is perfectly content to lie there and study the planes and contours of Steve's face. Her heart swells with love for this amazing man who is her husband and she snuggles as close to him as she can get. At times like this, when no one else is around, when she doesn't have to be responsible for anyone or anything for a little while, when she can allow her deepest anxieties and fears to surface, Sam is at her most vulnerable. Sometimes, the weight of her duties and responsibilities nearly overwhelm her and she just needs to have a good, old-fashioned cry every now and then. She doesn't even realize that she's crying at the moment until, without opening his eyes or moving a muscle, Steve's voice breaks the silence.)

"What's wrong, Beautiful?"

"Oh God, Steve, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

(And now his eyes do open and Sam loses herself in their beautiful depths.)

"You didn't, Sam. I was just taking a combat nap. I've been aware of you watching me for the past several minutes."

"And you didn't say anything before now because?"

"Because I figured you wanted some time for yourself. Otherwise, you would have woken me up. It's okay, Sweetheart, everybody needs some time every now and then, and, hey, my drop-dead gorgeous wife wants to watch me sleep? Who am I to argue? But, Sam. . . You don't have to be strong or brave with me, you know. It's okay to let your guard down; I won't tell anyone, promise."

"God, how do you do that, Steve? It's like you can read my mind sometimes."

"I know you, Sam. . . Sweetheart, you don't have to be strong and brave _all_ the time. You're not a machine, Sam, you're a human being. You're allowed to have fears and doubts just like everyone else. I mean, yeah, it wouldn't be a good idea to let those under your command see you freak out over the least little thing on a regular basis, but, Sam, _with me_, you can just let it all out anytime you want or need to. That's one of the things we promised each other in our marriage vows; you know the whole 'for better or worse' thing? I know what a strong, capable officer you are, Sam. I know you can handle yourself in just about any situation you might come up against. But, I also know that you are my other half; the love of my life, and I want, I _need_ to protect you, Sam, to be there for you, whenever and however I can, and _you need to let me_. I will never think less of you for letting me be there for you, Sweetheart. See, being able to take care of you is one of the most important things in the world to me."

"God, I love you. . . Steve?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Would you just hold me, please?"

"Of course, I will, Baby; all night long."

(Steve's arms tighten around Sam and, although she doesn't make a sound, he knows that she's crying. He also knows he needs to let her. Kissing the top of her head every so often and slowly rubbing her back, Steve holds her while she cries out all the anger, fear, frustration, and uncertainty she's experiencing at the moment and cries herself to sleep. Steve, however, cannot sleep. Sam is upset, Joel Thorne is the reason, and Steve is determined to see the man pay for every millisecond of pain he's caused Sam. He sincerely hopes that the two officers from San Diego N.A.S. can locate the proof that someone tampered with the computer program and that they can identify the hacker. Once that happens, he's fairly confident that they can get the hacker to agree to testify against Joel Thorne in exchange for leniency. If they _can't_ find any proof in the computer system, Steve still isn't worried. As he told Sam earlier, there were two full squadrons plus the maintenance crews who witnessed the exercises and know exactly what happened, and there should also be archived copies of the radio traffic from each exercise, as well. It would be a lot easier if the computer data matched the eye witness accounts, sure, but one way or the other, Joel Thorne is going down and Steve fully intends to be there when he does. No one, _no one_ messes with Sam and gets away with it; not as long as Steve has breath in his body! . . .

Steve looks down at Sam's face, sees the tear tracks on her beautiful face, now relaxed in sleep, and his blood boils. Hopefully, between the two officers from San Diego, the "off the record" recon and surveillance by Senior Chief Evans and Tony and his SEALs, something will "pop". What Steve would really like to do is get a look at Joel Thorne's home and cellular phone records, but that requires a warrant and they don't yet have probable cause to obtain one. Unknown to Sam, Steve called H.P.D. before leaving his office and asked them to put a "tag" in their computer system. If Joel Thorne has any contact with any member of H.P.D. for any reason; a traffic stop, witnessing a crime, reporting one, whatever, Steve will be immediately notified. Should Thorne become with H.P.D. for any reason at all, Five-0 can step in and it will not be related to the Navy in any shape, form, or fashion.)


	61. Chapter 61

**CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 25, 2011**

(At 0800 Saturday morning, Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers are back at work going through the computer systems at Pearl. There are only a few other personnel on duty and the two officers from San Diego are pretty much left alone to do whatever they want. In fact, the only person who comes anywhere near them is a female Ensign who asks if they'd like some coffee. Accepting her kind offer, the two young men admire the view as the young woman walks off to get their coffee. Both young men are puzzled because they haven't run across anything out of the ordinary in the computer system, but that, in itself, is rather odd. There are sometimes "glitches" in computer systems that can be anything as simple as a sector that has gone bad due to age, etc. all the way up to huge chunks of information being lost or overwritten. The Pearl computers seem to be functioning at optimal levels with absolutely no flaws, glitches, or problems whatsoever; nor does there appear to have _ever_ been any of these issues present. Either the tech personnel at Pearl are extremely good or someone's hidden their tracks well. However, the two young men have a few tricks of their own up their sleeves, and they are no where near through looking. Taking the two cups of coffee from the Ensign and thanking her, the return to their examination of the system.

Sam is awakened by the sensation of cool water dripping down onto her neck and opens her eyes to find Steve grinning at her. The sun is rising and there is a cool breeze blowing across the boat. Sam, thoroughly sated after making love with Steve three different times during the course of the night, sighs contentedly and stretches like a cat. She sees the shift from amusement to desire in her husband's eyes as his gaze flickers down her long, slender, _naked_ body and she grins up at him.)

"See something you like, Sailor?"

"Oh, yeah."

'Well, then, get those swim trunks off and do something about it . . If you can."

"If I can? Oh, you've so done it now, Sam."

"Yeah, I have. Three times."

"About to be four."

"Why stop at four? I mean, we're out here in the middle of the Pacific ocean, just the two of us, we have nothing else to do except maybe go diving, and . . ."

(But Sam gets no further in her teasing commentary because Steve has jerked her up into his strong arms and fuses his mouth to hers in a kiss that leaves her dizzy; even though she's more or less lying down. Were another boat in the area or a plane flying overhead, they would be witness to Steve McGarrett showing his wife just exactly how much he likes what he sees. Good thing Steve checked with the Coast Guard before they left Oahu and

made sure there were no _planned_ excursions, that they were aware of, for this particular part of the Pacific for the next few days. . . .

Lana awakens to the wonderful aromas of bacon and coffee and glances over at the clock on the bedside table. It's nearly eight o'clock and Lana cannot believe she slept this late! Throwing on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, she heads into the kitchen to find that Chin has things well in hand and is just getting a pitcher of orange juice out of the fridge.)

"Why didn't you wake me, Chin? I would have been happy to have fixed breakfast!"

"I know you would have, but I thought I'd cook breakfast for you this morning."

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but you're going to spoil me."

"What if I am? That's what you're supposed to do when you love someone, isn't it? Besides, you're going back to work in a couple of days, so you'd better enjoy this while you can."

"Okay, then. I'll just sit back and enjoy having you wait on me hand and foot. What have you got in mind for us to do today?"

"Oh, I don't know . . I was thinking that we could go down to the beach and just walk around for awhile, maybe have lunch at that little beachside café you like, go by the travel agency and pick up our tickets and itinerary for our honeymoon, and whatever else you'd like to do."

"Sounds great. Maybe we could even . . . "

(But Chin's cellular phone rings before Lana can utter another word and he smiles when he sees the identity of the caller from the caller I.D.)

"Aloha, Grace."

"Aloha, Uncle Chin. Since you didn't call me and let me know Lana was out of the hospital, I figured I'd better call you. No one ever tells me anything!"

"I apologize, Grace. I should have called you yesterday when I picked Lana up from the hospital."

(By now, both Chin and Lana are smiling, and Lana holds out her hand for Chin's phone. Smiling, he hands it to her without hesitation.)

"Hello, Grace."

"Hello, Lana, are you feeling better?"

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you for asking."

"You're welcome. Are you and Uncle Chin going to get married now?"

"Indeed, we are, Grace; a week from today."

"That's so cool! I love weddings!"

"What are you up to today, Grace?"

"Just sitting around watching Rosa clean the house. My mom and Stan are spending the day with one of Stan's clients, Danno and Mom are painting one of their extra bedrooms, Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve took Grandma's and Grandpa's boat out for the weekend, and Kono and Tony are going shopping for stuff for the baby. That's why I called Uncle Chin; to see what you were doing."

"Ah . . How would you like to spend the day with me and your Uncle Chin?"

"Really? Are you sure? 'Cause I would _love_ to spend the day with you and Uncle Chin. That is, if it's okay with Uncle Chin."

"I'm sure it will be fine with Uncle Chin. Tell you what, we'll call your father and get him to make sure it's okay with your mother and I'll call you back, okay?"

"Okay. . . Lana, since you're going to marry Uncle Chin, can I call you 'Aunt Lana'?"

"Of course, you can, Grace; I'd be honored."


	62. Chapter 62

**CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 25, 2011**

(Lana has a misty-eyed expression on her face when she ends the call with Grace and looks up at Chin.)

"What's Danny's speed dial?"

"Two. . . Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Grace just asked me if she could call me 'Aunt' Lana since we were getting married and she calls you 'Uncle' Chin. That little girl is something else. By the way, you don't have a problem with her spending the day with us, do you?"

"Of course not. You know I love to spend time with Grace and she hasn't really got to see too much of either of us since the accident."

"Okay, then. . . Danny, hey, it's Lana. I understand you and Caroline are doing a little painting today."

"Yeah, as a matter of fact we are. How'd you know that?"

"Your very sweet daughter just told me when she called to check up on me."

"Yeah, I'm in serious trouble with Grace right now. I didn't do a very good job of keeping her updated when you were in the hospital."

"Yes, well, she explained that you and Caroline were painting, her mother and Stan were entertaining one of Stan's clients for the day, Sam and Steve were spending the weekend on the boat, and Kono and Tony were shopping for baby stuff, so she called Chin to check on me. Chin and I were going to spend a little time at the beach, have lunch at a beachside café I happen to like, and pick up out plane tickets from out travel agent. Would it be all right if Grace hung out with us today?"

"Well, yeah, it's okay with me and I'm sure Rachel will be okay with it, but you guys don't have to do that. I mean, you two probably want a little time alone and spending the day with a nine year old isn't going to allow that to happen."

"Danny, we're going to be alone for a whole week once we're on our honeymoon, and we want to spend the day with Grace. It's not a problem, really."

"Okay, tell you what; I'll call Rachel and make sure it's okay with her and call you back."

"Deal."

"You do realize that my daughter is pulling our strings, right?"

"Of course, she is, Danny, but I don't see any of us stopping her. Personally, I think we all _love_ having Grace pull our strings."

(Several minutes later, Chin's cellular phone rings and it's Danny calling.)

"What's the verdict?"

"Grace is all yours for the day if you still want her. Rachel is calling her housekeeper and letting her know you and Lana will be coming by to pick Grace up."

"Excellent! You and Caroline have a good time painting."

"Yeah, we move into a new house and my wife decides she wants to repaint. What's up with that?"

"Don't go there, Brah, just keep your mouth shut, smile sweetly, and get it done. You'll be glad you did in the long run."

(Thirty minutes later, Lana and Chin pick Grace up at Rachel's and Stan's and she is beyond thrilled to be going off on yet another adventure with her Mom's and Danno's friends. As they are driving to the beach, Grace keeps Lana and Chin on their toes.)

"Danno said you were in an accident, Aunt Lana. What kind of accident?"

"Well, Grace, I was in an automobile accident."

"Oh, what happened?"

"Well, another car ran a red light and hit me."

"Did anybody else get hurt?"

"No, Sweetie; just me."

"Bur you're okay now, aren't you? Except for you arm, I mean. How long do you have to wear that cast?"

"I'm okay now, and I hope I get my cast off next week before our wedding."

"Who was in the other car?"

"A man, someone I didn't know."

"Oh. . . Why did he run the red light?"

"Um, well, Grace, he had been drinking alcohol before he got in his car, and he'd had too much."

"You're not supposed to drink alcohol and drive."

"No, Sweetheart, you're not. I'm glad you know that, Grace."

"Danno makes sure I know all about things you're _not_ supposed to do. He says he doesn't ever want me to get into trouble so he tells me about things I'm not ever supposed to do all the time."

"You dad loves you, Grace; he just wants to make sure that you're safe."

"I know that, Uncle Chin, but, sometimes I think he never wants me to have any fun. He has so many rules about _everything_! 

"It may seem that way now, Grace, but when you're older, you'll understand why you father has all these rules and you'll be glad he did."

"I guess. . . I sure wish Kono and Tony would hurry up and find out if their baby's a boy or a girl."

(And just like that, both Chin and Lana look at one another with "deer in the headlights" expressions on their faces. Panic is evident in both of them as neither of them wants to lie to Grace, but they promised Kono they wouldn't tell her they already know the baby's gender. Chin, struck by what he believes to be divine intervention, sends Lana a quick smile as he pulls out his cellular phone.)

"Tell you what, Grace, let's call them and see if they want to meet us for lunch. If they can, you can ask them what they're having, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Chin."

(Chin hits the speed dial for Kono and after two rings, her voice fills the car over the built-in blue tooth.)

"Hey, Cuz, what's up?"

"Lana, _Grace_, and I are headed to the beach for a little while and we thought we'd see if you and Tony would like to meet us for lunch. _Grace_ has a couple of questions for you about the baby."

"Oh, um, hi, Gracie."

"Hi, Kono. Can you and Tony have lunch with us, _please_! I haven't seen you in forever, and I really want to talk to you about the baby!"

"Um, hang on, Gracie . . . Tony, Chin, Lana, and _Grace_ want us to meet them for lunch. Are you okay with that? . . . . Okay, Gracie, where are we having lunch?"

"Where are we having lunch, Uncle Chin?"

"Lulu's, Kono. We're going walking on the beach near there, and I know you guys are shopping for baby stuff. What time's good for you?"

"How about eleven-thirty?"

"Eleven-thirty's good. Bye, Cuz."


	63. Chapter 63

**CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 26, 2011**

(By the time Chin, Lana, and Grace meet Kono and Tony for lunch, Grace is in very high spirits indeed. She and her Uncle Chin ran and played in the surf while Lana, who didn't want to exert herself too much or get her cast wet, sat in the warm sand and watched them, laughing when Grace managed to thoroughly soak Chin several times, and now she's going to see Kono and Tony and ask them about the baby. Kono and Tony are already at the café when Chin, Lana, and Grace arrive and Grace runs straight to Kono and gives her as big a hug as possible considering how big Kono's baby bump has gotten. Grace puts her little hands on Kono's tummy hoping to feel the baby moving, and Kono just smiles and sits patiently.)

"Is the baby asleep, Kono? He's not moving around."

"I think the baby may be taking a nap right now, Gracie, but it was pretty active this morning."

"Oh, do you know if it's a boy or girl, yet?"

"As a matter of fact, we do. We're having a little boy and we've already named him."

"You are? You did? What?"

"Eric Kekoa. Eric is Tony's middle name and it's also Tony's father's first name, and Kekoa is a Hawaiian name that means 'brave one'."

"That is so cool! I was right! Told 'ya the baby was going to be a boy!"

"Yes, you did, Gracie."

(Caroline and Danny are doing a quite passable job of repainting one of their extra bedrooms and, although he's grumbled about it a little bit, he knows exactly why Caroline wanted to repaint the bedroom; this is the room Grace sleeps in when she is with them. Caroline wants Grace to feel like their house is her house, too, and painting Grace's room is one of the ways she can accomplish this. As Caroline climbs down off the ladder she was standing on and steps back to assess her work, Danny puts down the paint roller he was using, steps over behind his wife, and slips his arms around her slender waist and pulls her back against him.)

"You have a smudge of paint on your nose, Mrs. Williams."

"It'll wash off. What do you think, Romeo? Is this color too pale?"

"I think the color's perfect, Gorgeous, and so are you."

"Thanks for the compliment, Danny, but I'm far from perfect. Are you sure this color isn't too pale? I don't want Grace to be overwhelmed, but I do want her to be able to tell we repainted her room."

"The color's fine; Grace will love it. She'll love anything you do because she loves you. Takes after her Daddy."

"I just want her to be comfortable here, Danny; I want her to really feel like she's . . . Home."

"Caroline, Grace knows this is her home, but it has nothing to do with what color the walls in her room are, or what kind of furniture she has, or how bit her closet is. . . Grace knows this is her home because you make sure she knows how much you love her. . . You're a special woman, Caroline Williams and I love you very, very much."

(Libby and Mike, having spent the morning at the Officer's Club playing golf with friends, are sitting on the O Club's patio overlooking the golf course enjoying lunch. Mike can't help admiring Libby's long, tanned legs which are very nicely displayed by the above-the-knees skort she's wearing. Thinking back on what he told Steve the night before about know how it felt to want to get his wife alone somewhere, just the two of them, Mike realizes that it's been quite some time since he did just that. Since Lana and Chin are getting married the next Saturday, Mike starts thinking about whisking Libby away from the reception and off to the marina. His son-in-law isn't the only one who can plan and execute a romantic weekend getaway on the boat! So caught up in planning is he that Mike doesn't realize that Libby has apparently asked him a question until she calls his name rather sharply.)

"Mike!"

"Uh, sorry, Libby, I was thinking about something."

"Obviously. What was it?"

"What was what?"

"Whatever it was you were thinking about."

"Oh, um, not sure I can tell you right now. The O Club's just a little too public for what I was thinking."

"Really? Hurry up and finish your lunch because I've _got_ to know what you were thinking about now. In fact, if it's what I think it was, maybe we should head straight home and make those thoughts of yours a reality."

(In the middle of taking a sip of water as Libby is speaking, Mike nearly chokes at Libby's _purred_ words and the "come and get me, big boy" look in her eyes. He can't get their server's attention and sign their tab quickly enough, and Libby, thoroughly enjoying her husband's obvious discomfort, continues to flirt with him outrageously the entire time. As they are waiting at the front entrance for the valet to bring their car around, Mike can't seem to stand still and "bounces" from one foot to the other. Libby just smiles seductively and does her best to keep from laughing out loud. Men are so _easy_ sometimes and Mike Thrasher is no exception. All it takes to bring her big, bad, Navy SEAL husband to his knees is one, little look, and, after thirty-five years of marriage, Libby knows exactly how to deliver that look for maximum effect.)


	64. Chapter 64

**CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 27, 2011**

**A/N: Hope you all are enjoying this story so far. I've received a couple of private messages from readers who indicated they would like to see Mike and Libby have a little flirty fun, too, so I hope the last half of the last chapter is what you had in mind. There will be more fun stuff down the road. Please let me hear from you and I will try to accommodate your requests! Michelle**

(After spending most of the day diving, Sam and Steve are finally back on board the boat, have cleaned up, and Sam is in the galley putting dinner together while Steve is changing out regulators and making sure the empty tanks are stowed securely. Sam checks her cellular phone and there are no missed calls, voicemails, or texts and she isn't sure whether to be relieved or not. While waiting for Steve to finish with the air tanks, Sam pulls up the weather radar and checks in with the Coast Guard to make sure no storms have popped up while they were diving. Receiving an all clear and not seeing anything on the boat's radar, Sam pulls the chicken breasts she had marinating out of the fridge and sets them aside as she goes up the ladder to the deck. Steve is just securing the hatch on one of the forward storage compartments when Sam comes up the ladder. He meets her at the top of the ladder and pulls her to him as he gives her a lingering kiss that makes her temperature climb several degrees. The sun is just starting to descend over the water and the colors of the sky are like an artist's palette of pastel blues, pinks, and oranges. Sam is happier than she's been in a long time and she slides her arms around Steve's neck and clings to him. Lifting his head, Steve looks down into her beautiful eyes and sees happiness and contentment and love shining in Sam's and he is very glad they were able to spend this time together. The woman he's holding in his arms is the most important person in the world to him and he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Sam sees the split-second of fierceness that enters Steve's eyes and she smiles softly.)

"Hey, I thought this weekend was all about you and me and nobody else, Sailor."

"It is."

"Yeah? Then why did you just look like to wanted to take someone apart with your bare hands?"

"Did I?"

"You know you did, Steve."

"Sorry, I was just thinking that anyone who wants to hurt you, in any way, is going to have to go through me."

"I absolutely love it when you go all 'protective he-man' on me, Steve, but I am a big girl, you know, I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Sam, but even SEALs know it doesn't hurt to have a backup. I want to be yours."

"You _are_ my backup, Steve. You're my best friend, my partner, my lover, my husband; and I know you've got my back just like I have yours. I trust you with my life."

"Sam, I know there are times when you can't tell me things related to what's going on at the base because the information is classified. I know there are some things you'll never be able to tell me just as there are things I've done as a SEAL that I will never be able to tell you. But, when it comes to things you _can_ share with me, I don't ever want you to hesitate."

"And I don't, Steve, but you have a lot of responsibilities, too, and I don't want to burden you with my problems; especially when you're in the middle of a case. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I trust you to use your best judgment about what you tell me and _when_ you tell me, and I'd like for you to trust me to do the same."

"Yeah, okay, Sam, I see what you're saying and I agree with you, but it's, you know, hard sometimes. I love you so much and I can't stand to see you upset or hurt. And, Sam? I know when you're upset about something so you might as well go ahead and tell me why 'cause I'm going to find out one way or the other. At least, if you go ahead and tell me, it's out there and I don't have to stress over what's bothering you."

"Same thing's true for you, Steve. I know when something's bothering you, too, and _not_ telling me what's wrong only adds to my anxiety level. I mean, neither of us can keep the other person from having to deal with bad situations; they're, unfortunately, part of life, especially with our jobs, but at least we can be there for one another, help one another through these kinds of situations as much as possible."

"Exactly, Sam, so please don't hold anything back from me and I won't hold anything back from you. Deal?"

"Deal."

(Caroline tells Danny that she wants to look at bedroom furniture while the paint is drying and that she wants Grace to go with them. Instead of arguing with her, Danny simply gives her a kiss on the cheek as she walks by him on her way to take a shower, pulls out his cellular phone, and calls Chin. Then minutes later, he tells Caroline they can go as soon as he jumps in the shower and that Chin and Lana are meeting them with Grace at one of Honolulu's biggest furniture stores in half an hour.)


	65. Chapter 65

**CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 27, 2011**

(Somewhat surprisingly, the remainder of the weekend is relatively quiet for everyone and, although most of them didn't realize it, a quiet weekend was exactly what they needed. Sunday evening, Sam and Steve bring the boat back onto the marina, refill all the air tanks, dump and refill all tanks, and make sure the boat is ready and secured before heading home. In between diving and making love on Sunday, Steve "fessed up" and told Sam that he had Sr. Chief Evans and Tony and his SEALs doing recon and that he had tagged Joel Thorne in the H.P.D. database. He was somewhat taken aback when Sam had merely smiled and told him she already knew about the Senior Chief and Tony, and, although she didn't know what specifically, she was fairly certain H.P.D. was keeping an eye out for Thorne, as well. When Steve apparently had a thunderstruck look on his face, Sam just laughed and told him that she knew him just as well as he knew her. They have just gotten home and are in the process of unpacking their duffels and doing laundry when Sam's cellular phone rings. A quick glance at the caller I.D. puts her instantly on alert and she casts an anxious glance in Steve's direction.)

"Cmdr. McGarrett . . Yes, Sir. We just got home, Admiral. . . We'll be there in twenty, Sir. . . . Aye, aye, Admiral. . . . Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers found something. Adm. Henderson wants us in his office in twenty minutes."

"He say _what_ they found?"

"No; just said he needed to see both of us ASAP."

(At 0700 hour the following morning, Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne arrives for duty and Mrs. Tyson, Adm. Henderson's secretary informs him the Admiral would like to see him in his office ASAP. Thorne knocks on the door and strides into the Admiral's office when receiving permission to enter, but he stops short when he sees Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett, Lt. Atkins, Senior Chief Evans, the two officers from San Diego N.A.S., and the Ensign who hacked into the computer system already in the Admiral's office along with a Navy Lieutenant Commander who's wearing JAG insignia on his uniform and two Marines who are attached to Base Security. Thorne falters, but only slightly before recovering himself and standing at attention in front of Adm. Henderson's desk.)

"You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Indeed, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne. Just exactly what did you think you were going to accomplish by having Ens. Cooper go into the simulation computer and change the data? And don't both to deny it, because Ens. Cooper has told us everything; she has even provided us with tapes of conversations between the two of you where you promised her a promotion for her assistance."

(Thorne glares at Ens. Tina Cooper with hatred in his eyes for just a moment before he recovers enough to force a blank mask to his face. Still standing at attention, Thorne attempts to bluff his way out of the situation.)

"Sir, I'm not quite sure what it is Ens. Cooper has given you, but I can assure you that any tapes she may have of our conversations have been 'doctored'. Ens. Cooper and I have been. . 'Seeing' each other and I decided to end the relationship because the Ensign was becoming very demanding. She expected, wanted, more out of our relationship than I was prepared to give. I assure you, Admiral, that anything Ens. Cooper has given you is something she has falsified."

"And what makes you so sure that the tapes the Ensign gave us are falsified, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne?"

"Because she showed me exactly how she could manipulate data in any of the computer programs any time she wanted to, and she also showed me how she could take different tapes of conversations among various people and make a single tape having these same people say anything she wanted. Go ahead; ask her. She made a tape of you, Admiral, saying that you were having an affair with Cmdr. McGarrett using several different tapes of you giving speeches and from taped conversations you had with the Pentagon. Ens. Cooper has your phone, Cmdr. McGarrett's phone, and the phones of every squadron commander on the base 'bugged', Sir. Said that, if she couldn't get what she wanted out of me, she'd get it one way or the other."

(Ens. Tina Cooper gets paler with every word Thorne speaks and guilt is written all over her face. Adm. Henderson exchanges uneasy looks with Sam, Lt. Atkins, Senior Chief Evans, and the JAG officer present. Clearly, none of them were aware of this development and, although none of them have ever said anything incriminating or the least bit inappropriate during telephone conversations, the very fact that someone, someone who had security clearance, has "tapped" their phone lines is more than a little unsettling. Realizing that Thorne's accusations, which Ens. Cooper is doing nothing whatsoever to deny, completely changes everything and puts him between a rock and a hard place until the accusations can be proven one way or the other, Adm. Henderson sits back in his chair and looks around the room for just a moment. Finally, he releases a heavy sigh and sends a glare in Thorne's direction before looking at the two Marine security personnel.)

"Gentlemen, please take Ens. Cooper to the Brig. I'm sure our JAG representative, Lt. Cmdr. Brown, has quite a few additional questions for the Ensign, and I want all the phones _and_ computers on this base swept immediately! Hell, sweep everything! Lt. Cmdr. Brown, do you wish to speak with Lt. Cmdr. Thorne?"

"I would, Sir, but I'd like to question Ens. Cooper in more detail first."

"All right, then, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, as of this moment you are relieved of duty pending the outcome of the JAG investigation into Ens. Cooper's activities. As you live off-base, I'm going to allow you to return to your personal quarters. However, you will make yourself available to either Lt. Cmdr. Brown or me twenty-four/seven, and you are not to leave Oahu for any reason. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly clear, Sir."

"Dismissed."

(As soon as Thorne, Ens. Cooper, the JAG officer, and the two Marines have cleared Adm. Henderson's office, the older man looks at Sam, Lt. Atkins, and Senior Chief Evans with a thoroughly disgusted expression on his face.)

"Well, _that_ was certainly interesting. If Lt. Cmdr. Thorne does, indeed, possess or know where to locate the tape he mentioned, it's the final nail in Ens. Cooper's coffin."

"Yes, Sir, and Thorne will get off scot-free."

"Not quite, Senior Chief. Thorne had prior knowledge that Ens. Cooper had taps on all the phones of Senior officers on this base and he failed to disclose that information to either Cmdr. McGarrett or me. At the least, he's guilty of collusion."

"Begging your pardon, Admiral, but he freely admitted that he was in a personal relationship with Ens. Cooper and that _he _was the one who ended things. He could claim that he just found out what she did and had not yet had time to report what he knew."

"Yes, Lt. Atkins, he certainly could, but the four of us know that Thorne's in this up to his eyeballs. The more likely scenario is that he seduced Ens. Cooper for her computer expertise and she was acting at his direction. All right, once security personnel have swept the base for any more of Ens. Cooper's little surprises, we're going to go through Lt. Cmdr. Thorne's office computer and take it apart. Cmdr. McGarrett, since Lt. Cmdr. Thorne lives off-base, I believe it's time we called in reinforcements. I'm going to have Lt. Cmdr. Brown issue a subpoena for his home computer and personal cellular phone records, and since _Lt. Cmdr._ McGarrett just happens to head up the Governor's task force, I believe Hawaii Five-0 should be the authority to serve that subpoena. Would you like to call your husband or should I?"

"I'll be more than happy to call him, Sir, and, thank you,"

"Not at all, Commander. Tell him he can pick up the subpoena from Lt. Cmdr. Brown in an hour."

"Aye, aye, Sir."


	66. Chapter 66

**CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 28, 2011**

(Sam immediately goes into her office and calls Steve on her cellular phone; he answers on the second ring.)

"Thorne take the bait?"

"Hook, line, and sinker. Your subpoena will be ready in an hour."

"Good. Chin picked Thorne up as soon as he left the base. What about the other one?"

"So far, so good. . . Steve, . ."

"I know, Sam."

"I really wish you could hold me right now."

"Soon, Beautiful, soon. Aren't you flying this morning?"

"Yeah, I have to be wheels up on forty-five. . I love you."

"Love you, too, Sam. Call me when you're back on the ground."

(As soon as Steve ends the call with Sam he walks out to the smart table where Kono and Danny are looking over information that has come in within the last twelve hours on Joel Thorne and anyone else connected to the problems at the base. While there aren't any apparent illegal activities that "jump out" the information they do have is . . . Interesting. Keeping an eye on the clock and calculating the amount of time needed to get to the base, pick up the federal subpoena from the JAG officer, and get to Thorne's apartment, Steve checks in with Chin while Kono and Danny finish going through the information they have received. A few minutes later, Steve and Danny leave the office and head to the base. Danny senses that Steve is more than a little angry as they drive to the base.)

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Really. 'Cause you've got 'the aneurysm face'."

"I do not like it when people try to mess with my wife!"

"Yeah, I get that, but you look like you want to kill someone."

"He tried to play her, Danny. He took the trust Sam placed in him and tried to use it against her, and _that_ really pisses me off."

"Sam figured it out, Steve. She caught it_ before_ it got out of hand. I mean, my sister-in-law is a genius. She set-up the whole sting. If Adm. Henderson and the rest of the higher ups don't give her a medal I'll be damned surprised!"

"You think Sam _enjoyed_ setting up an officer under her command?"

"Of course not, but she did what she had to do and she did it without hesitation. And if I haven't mentioned it? Sam's plan is pure genius."

"Yeah, Danny, it is, but she's not taking any pleasure in it. In fact, to be honest, Sam's hurt. She gave the guy every opportunity and he threw it away. Sam feels like she's partly to blame."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"No, Danny, I'm not kidding. Sam's concerned that she didn't do everything she could to turn this guy around."

"Hard to turn around someone who let's his ego and ignorance guide his every action."

"Try to convince Sam of that."

"Hey, if _you_ can't convince her, it can't be done."

(As soon as Steve and Danny have a subpoena in their hands for Joel Thorne's personal computer and cellular phone records and giving them permission to conduct a thorough search of his apartment as well, they check in with Chin to make sure Thorne is still at his apartment. Confirming that he is, they head to Thorne's to serve the subpoena. The fiercely dark frown hasn't left Steve's face since they first left their office and Danny is very glad he's not the person Steve's after. Thirty minutes later, Steve, Danny, and officers from H.P.D. arrive at Thorne's apartment and serve the subpoena. Thorne is livid and starts spouting off about how Five-0 has no jurisdiction over him; until Steve, none-too-nicely, reminds him that his apartment is off-base so, yeah, Five-0 most definitely has jurisdiction. While the H.P.D. officers are removing Thorne's computer and several drawers of files, Steve and Danny have a few minutes alone with Thorne in the apartment. The man makes the mistake of saying something he shouldn't.)

"You won't find anything on my computer or in my files. You're invading my privacy and, once I'm through with you, you'll learn your lesson just like that bitch of a wife of yours is going to learn hers!"

(Before either Thorne or Danny can blink, Steve has Thorne by the collar with one hand and has him pinned to the wall with his feet dangling a couple of feet off the ground. Steve's other fist is drawn back as if to hit Thorne and there is a murderous expression on Steve's face. Danny, looking very calm and relaxed, is leaning against Thorne's computer desk with his arms and ankles crossed.)

"Really? You're going to threaten me; threaten my wife?"

"I'm not threatening; I'm making you a promise, McGarrett!"

(And still holding the man against the wall with one hand at his throat, Steve turns to look at Danny who is calmly examining the fingernails of one hand.)

"He's making me a promise, Danny."

"So I heard, Steven. Too bad he won't be able to follow through."

(Thorne looks at Danny with total disbelief on his face.)

"Are you just going to stand there and allow him to do this?"

"Do what? All I see him doing is having a little talk you, Thorne."

"Talk? The man's trying to kill me!"

"No, if he were trying to kill you, you'd be dead by now."

"I see. You're just going to stand by and allow McGarrett to do whatever he wants."

(And now, Danny casually walks over the where Steve has Thorne pinned against the wall with his hands in his pockets and looks Thorne squarely in the eye.)

"Guess you didn't know that his wife is my sister-in-law. Yeah, that's right you moron, I'm married to Caroline Williams, so, yeah, I'm going to stand by, very patiently, too, may I add, while my brother-in-law continues his little talk with you."


	67. Chapter 67

**CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(For the first time, Joel Thorne exhibits a glimmer of fear as he realizes that, should Steve McGarrett choose to get a little physically forceful in his questioning, no one's going to stop him. Deciding to try another tactic, Thorne changes the tone of his voice and attempts to appeal to Steve.)

"Look, I've worked my six off to get ahead in the Navy, I've gone to every seminar and training session I possibly could, I've taken every extra duty assignment that was available, and I _still_ get passed over for promotion. What was I supposed to think; especially when a woman is given the promotion and position I've been working for the past several years?"

"Oh, I don't know, . . Maybe that the _officer_ who got the promotion and position you wanted was the most qualified person for the job?"

"Aren't you the least bit curious, McGarrett? Don't you ever wonder if maybe your wife hasn't been 'sweetening the pot'? Haven't you ever thought about the real reason your wife has come home late or gone to the base early?"

"You know, if you're trying to imply that my wife has been having an affair, you really might want to rethink that approach."

"Yeah, Thorne, you're not exactly in the best position to be telling a SEAL his wife's having an affair. 'Cause, one, it's most definitely not true, and, two, all he has to do is move his little finger and you won't be capable of having sex, or walking ever again. What vertebrae is that again, Steven?"

"Okay, okay! . . . So she's not having an affair. I just want what's due me, okay?"

"No problem, I'm going to see that you get it."

(Sam's squadron has been airborne for about twenty minutes and are about to reach their designated coordinates over the Pacific not far from the U.S.S. Forrestal. She is taking on Lt. Cmdr. Monroe's squadron in a simulated dogfight and the Forrestal is monitoring the exercise. Lt. Cmdr. Monroe's squadron isn't scheduled to arrive for a few more minutes and Sam's squadron climbs to Angels fifteen and goes into a holding pattern. Caroline, as Sam's RIO, has felt something was "off" since they took off from Pearl, but was too busy making sure they got where they were going to say anything. Now that they're in a holding pattern, Caroline switches to internal coms and talks with her sister.)

"Hey, what was going on in Henderson's office this morning?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Sam there was a JAG officer and two Marines in there. I think it was a little more than nothing."

"Not now, Caroline."

"O-kay. You are going to tell me all about it later, right?"

"Yeah. Later."

"What's up with you, Sam? You're acting like you've lost your best friend or something."

(But before Sam can respond, Lt. Cmdr. Monroe, call sign Merlin, is calling for Sam on the radio and they begin the simulation. Sam's squadron wins two of the three simulated dogfights and Merlin's wins the third. Two hours later, they are all back on the ground at Pearl and Sam uncharacteristically heads straight for her office without stopping to talk with any of her pilots and RIOs. Caroline is not the only one who is puzzled by Sam's behavior and several other people comment on it; including Lt. Cmdr. Monroe. Caroline, however, has no answers for any of them and they all return to their offices to write up their evaluation of the afternoon's exercises. . .

Steve has eased he hold on Thorne and allowed the man to slide down the wall enough so that he is actually standing on his own two feet once again. Both Steve and Danny have Thorne backed up against the wall and are standing with their arms crossed in front of them calmly staring at the man. For his part, Thorne is beyond rattled after Steve pinned him to the wall and held him there with one hand for several minutes; never again will he ever doubt anything he hears about Navy SEALs. He uses the excuse of taking several deep breaths to compose himself and think of a way out of the situation he now finds himself in; facing two very pissed off members of Five-0. This time, it's Danny Williams who begins the interrogation.)

"You know, Thorne, if you'd just go ahead and tell us who else is involved in your little scheme, it would go a lot easier on you in the long run. I mean, Super SEAL here is the expert in all things military, and I'm just a lowly civilian, but even I know that hacking into a D.O.D. computer system can get you charged with treason."

"I didn't hack into anything, Detective; Ens. Cooper did."

"Yeah, but you coerced her into doing it, so that makes you just as guilty as she is, Thorne."

"Prove it."

"Oh, we will; along with the fact that you've got someone in Washington doing your dirty work, as well. Who is it, Thorne, who'd you send to JAG Headquarters to look into my wife's service record?"

"Someone was looking into Cmdr. McGarrett's service record with JAG? My, my that is interesting. Why ever would you think I had anything to do with that?"

"Because you were in Washington on personal leave at the time the inquiry was made. Given that you've made no secret of the fact that you despise my wife, I'm sure you can see how we made the connection."

"Just how well do you really know your wife, McGarrett? Have you ever taken a good look into her life _before_ you met her? Perhaps she did something to upset someone years ago and it's just now coming back to haunt her. Might want to look into that."

"The only thing I want to look into right now, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, is how to get your six locked up in the Brig as quickly as possible!"


	68. Chapter 68

**CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(Late in the afternoon, there is a knock on Adm. Henderson's doorframe and he isn't all that surprised to see Cmdr. Samantha McGarrett standing just outside his door. She is pale and has a troubled expression on her face and the Admiral sighs heavily. What he has asked of this young officer is something he would have rather cut off his right arm than do, but he had no choice. The fact that she has done exactly what he asked her to and done it well speaks volumes about her character and devotion to her duties as an officer in the United States Navy. Adm. Henderson is fairly certain why she's in his office, but he invites her in and tells her to have a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Sam's eyes are haunted and the Admiral prepares himself for the conversation about to take place.)

"What can I do for you, Cmdr. McGarrett?"

"Sir, I realize that we are very close to obtaining the evidence we need to prosecute the officers involved in breaching base security, altering classified data in D.O.D. computers, all of it, Sir, but. . . "

"But you're having a difficult time withholding information from your husband. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Sir. I want you to know, Admiral, that I take my oath as an officer in the United States Navy very seriously, but I take my marriage vows just as seriously. I love my husband very much, Sir, and, while I haven't actually lied to Steve, I cannot help but feel that I've lied to him by omission. If you order me to continue withholding information from him, I will, Admiral, but . . . Sir, aren't we far enough along in this investigation, . . Haven't we reached a point where I can read him in? He is a SEAL, Sir, and he did work in Naval Intelligence prior to transferring to the Reserves in order to head up the Governor's Task Force, and, now that he is involved in this investigation in an official capacity. . . "

"Go ahead, Commander. You have my permission to disclose everything related to your part of this investigation to Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, but only him."

"Thank you, Sir."

"You're welcome, Commander. . . And, Sam? Your husband is a very lucky man. Not many couples have the kind of love and devotion the two of you do in your relationship in this day and time. And, once everything related to this investigation is made public, I'm sure the rest of your family and friends will understand why it was necessary for you to keep them in the dark. I'm proud to have you serve in my command, Sam."

(Thanking the Admiral once again, Sam immediately returns to her office and calls Steve on her cellular phone.)

"Hey, Beautiful."

"What are you doing, Steve?"

"Just left Thorne's apartment. Danny and I are heading back to the office to see if Kono and Chin were able to pull anything off his personal computer. You okay?"

"I'm leaving the base in about thirty minutes and heading home. Can you meet there, please?"

"Yeah, Sam, I can do that. What's wrong?"

"I have to tell you something, Steve, and I don't want to do it with a lot of other people around."

"I'll get Danny to drop me off at the house."

(When Steve ends the call with Sam, he has another fierce, dark frown on his face and he makes a u-turn so he can head toward their house.)

"Hey, the office is in the other direction, boy genius."

"Something's wrong with Sam, Danny. She wants me to meet her at the house. You can head on to the office and call me if you guys find something on Thorne's computer."

"Yeah, okay."

(Forty-five minutes later, Sam parks her Porsche in their driveway and heads into the house. Steve happened to see her from the living room window and meets her at the door. As soon as it shuts behind her, Sam tosses her cover and briefcase on a chair and launches herself into her husband's arms. Knowing that she'll tell him whatever it is that's troubling her eventually, Steve pulls her close and holds her in his strong arms for a few moments; her head buried in his neck. Finally, Sam pulls back and her beautiful emerald green eyes are haunted as she gazes up at him.)

"What is it, Sam, what's got you so upset?"

"While I haven't lied to you, Steve, I have been withholding information related to this investigation from you under direct orders to do so from Admiral Henderson. This afternoon, he gave me permission to read you in."

(And Sam starts at the beginning and doesn't leave anything out. It takes her a little while to bring Steve up to speed and he remains quiet the entire time she is talking. When she is finished, he simply pulls her back into his arms, drops a quick kiss on her forehead, and holds her tightly. The utter relief Sam feels at finally having everything she's been holding back out in the open is a very welcomed feeling, and she snuggles as close to Steve's hard body as she can get. If anything were to happen to him, it would, quite simply, kill her. They stand in their living room for a few more minutes with Steve holding Sam close and whispering reassuring words of love in her ear and then he sweeps her up and carries her up the stairs and into their bedroom where he begins to remove her uniform nipping and kissing every inch of velvety skin as it is revealed. Sending up a prayer of thanks for her husband, Sam returns the favor and they are soon caught up in the throes of passion and love.)


	69. Chapter 69

**CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(Danny arrives at the Five-0 offices to find both Kono and Chin extremely frustrated. Although they haven't had Thorne's personal computer all that long, they have already discovered that the man has so many layers of security encryption on his hard drive that it will take them forever to break through it all. In fact, they have recruited a couple of computer techs from H.P.D. to assist them and the officers are working on the problem in Kono's office. After another hour or so or looking at some information that has come in from Washington, Kono throws up her hands in total disgust and tells Danny and Chin she's heading out as she has a final fitting of her dress for the wedding. . . .

Lana, Kono, and Caroline are all at the dress shop and Kono is standing very patiently on a raised platform as two of the shop's employees are making minor adjustments and putting pins into the dress Kono is wearing as Lana's Matron of Honor. Caroline's dress has already passed muster and they are waiting on Sam, who is dreadfully late.)

"Maybe she got hung up at the base."

"Nope, she left the base before I did, Lana, and she's not answering her cellular phone."

"Try calling Steve. Danny said he dropped him off at their house after they left Thorne's apartment this afternoon."

"Already did, Kono; he's not answering his phone, either."

"That's odd."

"Not really, they're probably in the middle of . . . "

(But before Caroline can finish her smart-assed comment, Sam comes rushing through the door of the dress shop looking a little flushed. One look at her face and all three of the other young women know exactly why she's running late. Caroline, however, is extremely glad to see her sister looking more relaxed than she has in days.)

"Wow, a little 'afternoon delight' with Steve goes a long way toward improving your disposition, Sam."

"'Afternoon delight'? Who calls it that, anymore. I just had mind-blowing, pulse-pounding, totally HOT sex with my husband, and, yes, it did me a world of good. Sorry I'm late."

(But not only are Caroline, Kono, and Lana gaping at Sam's extremely honest admission uttered with a perfectly straight face, but so are the two dress shop employees, as well. Sam, amused because she's actually managed to make her sister speechless for once, doesn't even blink. She simply turns to one of the ladies and asks her to get her dress so she can try it on and make sure no further alterations are needed. Too stunned to do anything but comply, the lady disappears into the back of the store.)

"I so cannot believe you just said that!"

"Why not, Caroline? I did just have mind-blowing. . "

"Sam!"

"What? You and Danny don't?"

"Oh my God! Why is it that you suddenly feel the need to be embarrassingly honest here, Sam?"

"Who's embarrassed? I'm not embarrassed. I happen to be married to an extremely handsome, perfectly built, totally sexy, and exceedingly 'HOT' man. What's there to be embarrassed about? Besides, what's wrong with being honest?"

(By now, both Kono and Lana are giggling uproariously and even the ladies who work at the dress shop are laughing. Sam is smiling broadly, and Caroline is struggling to contain her mirth. Stepping into one of the fitting rooms with Sam so she can zip the dress for her, Caroline gives her sister a quick hug.)

"I'm glad to see you smiling, Sam. You've been in a 'dark place' for awhile now, and I was getting a little worried about you."

"I'm good, Caroline, really; no need to worry about me."

"Not as long as Steve McGarrett's around, anyway. Lana and Kono want to grab some dinner as soon as we're through here, you know, just the girls. You up for that?"

"Sure. I sort of worked up an appetite."

"TMI, Sam. Can you stop by the house after that? I want you to see what we've done with Grace's bedroom."

"I'd love to. . . You know, Caroline, we're both very blessed. That Christmas when Mom and Dad were killed. . . Well, if anyone had of told me then that we'd both be married to really wonderful guys and you'd have a perfectly adorable step-daughter and I'd have a perfectly loveable niece at this point in time, I'd have probably laughed at them. I. . . Well, I never thought I could possibly be this happy."

"I know, Sweetie, and you're right. . . We're both very blessed. How about you and Steve coming over for dinner tomorrow night? Rachel and Stan are going to Molokai overnight so we've got Grace and Mom and Dad are coming."

"Let me check with Steve, but I'm pretty sure it'll be okay. . . I love you, Caroline. I don't tell you that often enough, but I do."

"I know you do, Sam, I love you, too. . . Okay, before both of us start bawling like babies, you do realize that Grace is going to bug you and Steve about coming over to see your new bedroom and bathroom, right? Steve promised her she could spend the night with you awhile back, remember?"

"That's right, he did. Tell you what, Gracie can spend the night with us tomorrow night. I mean, Danny was going to have to take her back to Rachel's and Stan's anyway, so Steve can do it. That way, Gracie can see the new bathroom, Steve can keep his promise to her, and I get to spend some quality time with my adorable niece."

"Works for me."


	70. Chapter 70

**CHAPTER SEVENTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(As soon as she's tried on her dress and made sure it fits, Sam changes back into the pants and top she was wearing and calls Steve to tell him she's having dinner with the girls and then going by Caroline's and Danny's to look at Grace's bedroom. When she asks him if he has a problem with Grace spending the night with them, she hears the smile in his voice when he replies that he has no problem with it at all. Smiling as she slips her cellular phone back into her purse, Sam thinks, once again, what a wonderful father Steve will be one day, and says a quick prayer that they will be able to have children of their own eventually. Once the four young women are settled at a table in a restaurant about halfway between the dress shop and Sam's and Steve's house and have drinks in front of them, the conversation turns to the wedding. Kono, drinking bottled water looks longingly at the beers sitting in front of Sam, Caroline, and Lana, but only for a moment. Little Eric is apparently awake and making his presence known because Kono has a small smile on her face as she rubs her rather large baby bump with slow, circular motions.)

"I can't believe that we're going to have a real, live baby in just a few weeks! I think I'm more excited than either Kono or Tony!"

"You're just excited because you're getting married in five days, Lana."

"There is that, but I'm pretty partial to babies, too, Caroline. Oh, I just thought of something! Kono, don't you dare have that baby while Chin and I are on our honeymoon!"

"I'm not really sure I'm going to have much to say about it, Lana, but he's not supposed to get here for another six weeks. I'm just praying that Tony doesn't get called out on an op before the baby's born, but he's about due."

"Actually, Kono, I'm kind of surprised that he's gone this long without being called up."

"Don't I know it, Sam! So, okay, let's review. The after rehearsal dinner's going to be at La Mer, courtesy of Mike Grayton, the wedding and reception are taking place at Hanalei Colony, the flowers for the tables at both locations as well as the altar and the bouquets are taken care of, the menus have been finalized, Mike Grayton is doing both the Bride's and Groom's cakes and personally delivering them to Hanalei on Saturday morning, we all have hair and nail appointments for Saturday morning, and we have two suites at Hanalei; one for us and one for the guys. Anything else?"

"Nope, I think that about covers it. Wow, I'm going to be Mrs. Chin Ho Kelly in five days."

"Yes, you are, Girlfriend. You're about to become a 'Mrs.'."

"Yeah, but unlike the three of us, Lana actually gets to be called 'Mrs.' I mean, Kono is 'Off.' Montgomery, I'm 'Lieutenant' Williams, and Sam's 'Commander' McGarrett."

"You know you're right, Caroline. The three of us rarely ever get called 'Mrs.'"

"Speak for yourself, Kono. Steve calls me 'Mrs. McGarrett' all the time."

"Yeah, Sam, but he's your husband so it doesn't really count."

"That makes no sense whatsoever, Kono, Steve's the reason I get to be called 'Mrs.' McGarrett."

"Why are we even having this conversation?"

"I don't know, Lana, maybe because you got this goofy look on your face when you realized that you're going to be 'Mrs.' Chin Ho Kelly in five days."

(Right after Sam called to tell him she was having dinner with the girls, Tony called Steve to invite him over to watch a ballgame with him, Danny, and Chin. Since the girls were going to have a "girls' night out", Tony thought it only fair the guys have a "game night" at the Montgomery's house. Not wanting to spend the evening at home without Sam, Steve quickly agrees and is out the door a minute later. When he gets to Kono's and Tony's, Danny is waiting for him in the driveway and the two talk for a minute before going inside.)

"What are you doing out here, Danny?"

"Wanted to talk to you. I just got a call from the two tech guys from H.P.D. who are trying to break the encryption on Thorne's personal computer. They still haven't gotten through all the security passwords, but they're hoping to have something tomorrow. How's Sam? I mean, I know she was upset about something earlier."

(A huge grin quickly spreads across Steve's face and he slaps Danny on the back as the two young men walk toward the patio door.)

"Sam's just fine, Danny. Trust me. Oh, and has Caroline talked to you yet; about Gracie spending the night with us tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, she told me when she called to say the girls were going out to dinner. You want to take her back to Rachel's and Stan's the next morning or do you want me to do it?"

"I can do it. I mean, unless you just want to spend some time with your daughter."

"She's spending the weekend with us because of Lana's and Chin's wedding so you can take her back to her mother's, Uncle Steve."

"Okay, then. And, Danny? Sam really is okay. I think, now that thing's are starting to pop with regard to Thorne, Sam's going to be just fine."

"Good thing! 'Cause, just like you, when my wife's upset, I'm upset, and Caroline has be very worried about her sister lately."

"She's not the only one."


	71. Chapter 71

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(The two computer techs from H.P.D. spend the majority of the next day working on breaking the security encryptions on Thorne's personal computer and, toward late afternoon, finally get through. They find nothing incriminating anywhere on Thorne's computer and are extremely puzzled as to why he had so many security protocols on the hard drive. The only thing they find that's the least bit out of the ordinary is letter from a Baltimore law firm confirming a telephone call Thorne made to them concerning tax issues on an investment portfolio. Steve is also puzzled as to why Thorne went to extraordinary measures with the security on his personal computer and finally decides the man was just being overly paranoid. Since they served the subpoena the previous day, Steve has had an undercover unit conducting surveillance on Thorne, but they, too, have nothing unusual to report. Since being relieved of duty, Thorne has either been at home or playing golf at the Officer's Club on base. For someone who's under investigation for possible treason against the United States government, the man is acting very. . . Innocent. Danny, Kono, and Chin are beyond flummoxed, but Steve, after Sam's revelations of the previous day, hasn't quite reached the point of total frustration. . . Yet. Thanking the H.P.D. techs for their time and effort, Steve sends them on their way and tells Lana and Chin to head home for the day, as well since there's nothing more they can do at this point. Telling Danny he'll see him in a little while, Steve heads home to find Sam already there. She is in their bedroom seated in front of her make up table and putting her hair into a casual updo when Steve walks through the door. Leaning over to kiss the side of her bare neck, he starts stripping off his clothes in preparation of taking a quick shower. Sam watches him in the mirror and he smirks at the expression on her face.)

"Gracie is spending the night, Sam, remember?"

"Yeah, Steve, I remember. 'Course we don't have to be at Caroline's and Danny's for another hour and it only takes five minutes to drive over there."

"Got something in mind, Beautiful?"

"As a matter of fact, Sailor . . ."

(But before either of them can say or do anything else, Steve's cellular phone rings. Reluctantly, he pulls it from his pants pocket and answers it."

"McGarrett."

"Hi, Uncle Steve!"

"Hello, Gracie. What are you up to?"

"Well, I just got to Mom's and Danno's and I was hoping you and Aunt Sam would be here, but you're not, so I wanted to call and see if you were on your way, and if you're not, if you could go ahead and come over now 'cause I really, really want to see you."

"O-kay. Let me talk to your Aunt Sam, Gracie, and see what I can do. Either way, we'll definitely see you in an hour."

"Please, Uncle Steve? I haven't seen you and Aunt Sam in a while and I know I'm spending the night with you, but I really want to see you, please?"

(Steve has walked over to Sam and they've both heard Grace's pleading and neither of them can take it, so Sam nods her head at Steve and he caves, too.)

"Okay, Gracie, we'll be there in ten minutes."

(Ten minutes later Sam and Steve walk into the Williams' kitchen and Gracie launches herself at both of them and, one arm around Sam and the other around Steve, or, at least, as much of each of them as her little arms will reach, hugs them both. Steve reaches down and picks Gracie up and gives her a kiss on one cheek while Sam drops a quick kiss on the other. Grace is in her element, and her night is complete when her grandparents walk through the door. Sam goes into the kitchen to see if Caroline needs any help with dinner while Grace decides to hang out with her father, uncle, and grandparents out on the patio. Sam and Caroline don't take too long, however, because, judging from the gales of laughter coming from the patio, they're missing out on all the fun. Finally, they're all seated at the dinner table and Libby casually brings up an interesting bit of news.)

"Your father and I are remodeling our bedroom and bathroom, and we're using the same contractor you did, Steve. Thank you so much for recommending him."

"You're welcome, Libby. He did a great job and he was very reasonable."

"Doesn't matter what it costs. My wife wants a bigger bathroom; my wife gets a bigger bathroom."

"So when are they going to start remodeling, Mom?"

"Tomorrow, Sam. Said it would take them four or five days, so your father and I have a favor to ask of you children."

"Sure, Mom, no problem."

"Caroline, never agree to do a favor for someone until you know what it is."

"You're our parents, Dad, I think we're safe."

"All right, then. Your mother and I are spending the weekend on the boat, so we'll need you to go by the house on Saturday and again on Sunday and check on things. The contractor is bonded but I'd feel more comfortable knowing you children were keeping an eye on things for us."

"Aren't you two coming to Lana's and Chin's wedding on Saturday?"

"Of course, we are, Danny, but as soon as they leave for their honeymoon, I'm taking Libby straight to the marina and we're going sailing. We won't be home until Sunday evening. You boys aren't the only ones who want to have a romantic getaway with your wives."

(All the adults at the table smile, but Grace's sweet, little face screws up into a frown.)

"I don't see what fun it is to spend a whole weekend without anybody else around."

"You will one day, Nugget. In about, I don't know, fifteen or twenty years or so."

"Thirty years or so!"

"I'll be _old_ in thirty years, Daddy!"

"Grace Williams, your Mom and Danno and Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve are not _old_ and I know you're not trying to say that your grandmother and I are!"

"'Course not, Grandpa, I just don't see what the big deal is."

"We've got to have that talk, Grace, soon."

"What talk, Grandpa?"

"Never mind, Grace. Eat your dinner."

**A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing! We're getting close to the end of this story and Lana's and Chin's wedding and then on to Baby Montgomery's arrival! I sincerely hope you've all enjoyed this one! Michelle**


	72. Chapter 72

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Rating: MA for adult situations and language**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(After dinner, everyone pitches in to help clean up and Sam reminds Grace, once again, that she has to help, too. Grace looks mutinous until Steve reminds her that, the sooner they help clean up, the sooner they get to go home and she gets to take a bath in their great, big new bath tub. That's all it takes to get Grace in gear and it isn't long before the three of them head to the McGarrett's. Once they get there, Grace is up the stairs and looking around Sam's and Steve's bedroom and bathroom with a very curious expression on her face. Sam and Steve, doing their best to hide their indulgent smiles, wait patiently until Grace is through with her inspection. Finally, she walks over to where Steve is standing with his arms crossed across his chest, adopts the same pose as him, and looks up at him with a serious expression.)

"This is very nice, Uncle Steve. You did a very good job."

"Thank you, Gracie, I'm glad you approve."

"I do. When can I take my bath in your new tub, Aunt Sam?"

"Whenever you're ready, Gracie, but you know you have to go to bed after you take your bath, right?"

"Oh. Well, in that case, can we watch a movie first?"

"Tell you what, Gracie. Last time you spent the night over here you fell asleep in the middle of the movie _before _your bath. Tell your Uncle Steve what movie you want to watch and he can go downstairs and find it while I get you some towels and you can get in the tub. That way, you'll be a clean and sweet-smelling and in your pajamas so if you fall asleep during the movie we're good to go. Deal?"

"Deal. Sweet-smelling? Does that mean I get to use some of your bubble bath, Aunt Sam?"

"Yes, you little manipulator, it does. Now, what movie do you want to watch?"

(And after Grace rattles off several titles that are totally inappropriate for a nine year old and Steve laughingly vetoes each and every one of them, they settle on The Princess Diaries©, and Steve goes downstairs to search for the DVD that Grace left on a previous visit. Sam starts the bath water and adds some of her gardenia-scented bubble bath and Steve smiles when he hears the squeals of laughter coming from his wife and niece upstairs. Thirty minutes later, Gracie, wearing pink pajamas with green monkeys on them, comes bounding down the stairs, takes a running start, and "leaps" into Steve's lap. He barely has time to catch her before she does permanent damage to a very vital part of his anatomy, and looks up at the sound of his wife's laughter coming from the doorway as Grace settles herself comfortably in his lap.)

"Your father _really_ needs to have that talk soon!"

"Suck it up, Sailor, she's just a little girl."

"Are you going to make popcorn, Aunt Sam?"

"Yes, Gracie, I'm going to do that right now."

"Do you want us to wait for you before we start the movie?"

"No, Nugget, you can go ahead and start it. I won't be long."

(And it's Sam's turn to smile when she hears Gracie and Steve say the opening lines of the movie perfectly because they've seen it so many times. She even giggles out loud at Steve's imitation of Anne Hathaway's character. . .

One bowl of popcorn later, Steve is more relaxed and content than he's been in awhile. Grace's little head is lying in his lap and she's stretched out on her side on the couch while Sam is curled up on his other side with her head resting on his shoulder. Who would've thought that a big, bad SEAL could be so content sitting on his own couch watching The Princess Diaries©? Grace has been yawning steadily and Steve knows it won't be long before the little girl is fast asleep. Her sleepy little voice floats up to him and his heart simply melts.)

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yes, Gracie?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Gracie."

"You're going to carry me upstairs and tuck me in if I fall asleep, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am, Gracie. Don't I always?"

"Um hmmm. . . . Uncle Steve?"

"Yes, Gracie?"

"You're going to carry Aunt Sam upstairs and tuck her in, too, if she falls asleep, aren't you?"

"Yes, Gracie."

"Uncle Steve?"

"Hmmm?"

"Who's going to carry _you_ upstairs and tuck you in if you fall asleep?"

"I won't fall asleep, Gracie."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yes, Gracie?"

"I hope I marry someone just like you when I grow up."

"I hope you do, too, Gracie, but I think they broke the mold when they made your Uncle Steve."

"I thought you were asleep, Aunt Sam."

"Not yet, Nugget."

"Oh. I love you, too, Aunt Sam."

"I love you, Gracie."

(By the time the movie is over, both Grace and Sam are asleep and so is Steve's left arm which is around Sam. He doesn't mind a bit, though, and, as silly as it sounds, realizes that he could sit just like this forever and not mind. Knowing, however, that both he and Sam have to work the next day, he kisses the top of her head and softly calls her name so as not to wake Grace. Once Sam is awake, she gets up and turns off the television and DVD player while Steve gathers Gracie's limp, little form into his arms and head upstairs. Sam pulls back the covers on the bed Grace sleeps in when she's at their house, and Steve gently lays the little girl down on the bed. Pulling the covers up over her, Steve leans over and kisses Grace's forehead as does Sam. All is right with Steve McGarrett's world and he's determined that it's going to stay that way.)


	73. Chapter 73

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 29, 2011**

(Steve is the first one up the next morning waking up before the alarm clock goes off, and he eases out of bed to avoid waking Sam. Quietly slipping out of their bedroom, he moves down the hall to stand in the open doorway of Gracie's room and, crossing his arms over his chest, leans in the doorway and watches the little girl sleep. Sam's arms sliding around him from behind alert him to her presence and he lifts one arm to slide it around her shoulders. When they speak, they do so in whispers so as not to wake Grace.)

"Good morning, Beautiful. I was trying to decide which one of you to wake up first, but I guess I don't have to worry about that now."

"I woke up and you were gone, Steve. You know I don't sleep well when you're not in the bed with me."

"Yeah. Sorry about that, Sam, but I did promise Grace we'd make pancakes for you for breakfast this morning. Problem is, she looks so adorable, I didn't want to wake her up."

"Well, you'd better wake her up. You know how she gets when someone promises her something and doesn't follow through."

"I can hear both of you, you know."

(Grace's loudly and bluntly worded statement has both Sam and Steve jumping like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and they both almost come to attention as Grace sits up in the bed and sleepily rubs her eyes with both little fists. Looking up, she sends one of her sweet smiles in the direction of her aunt and uncle and they can't help but laugh. Grace climbs out of bed and hurries over to give Sam a gentle shove toward her and Steve's bedroom.)

"You go take a shower and get dressed, Aunt Sam, and Uncle Steve and I are going downstairs and make you pancakes."

"Yes, Ma'am."

(And Sam throws a mock salute in the direction of her husband and niece and heads into the bedroom while Steve and a giggling Grace head down the stairs hand in hand. By the time Sam has showered, put on a uniform and headed downstairs, delicious aromas are emanating from the kitchen and the table is set for three with orange juice at all three places and coffee cups at two. Steve is standing at the stove doing the actually cooking and Grace insists that Sam sit down and tell her what she wants. Steve, of course, already knows what Sam likes for breakfast, but plays along with Grace and winks at Sam over the top of the little girl's head. As soon as he's through eating, Steve heads upstairs to take a shower while Sam and Grace clean up the kitchen and then Sam helps Gracie get dressed. Just about the time Steve comes out of his and Sam's bedroom, she and Grace are leaving Gracie's room and the three head out the front door at the same time. Rachel called Danny the night before during dinner and told him that she and Stan wouldn't be back from Molokai until after lunch but that the housekeeper would be at their house so Grace could be taken home early, but Libby and Mike vetoed that idea immediately. Steve is taking Grace to her grandparents' house and she's going to spend the morning with them. Grace gives her Aunt Sam a great, big hug and kiss before running over to Steve's truck where he is waiting to lift her into the passenger seat and help her with her seatbelt. Gracie waves as Sam leaves after Steve kisses her goodbye. Steve has just turned out of the driveway when Grace starts questioning him.)

"You kissed Aunt Sam _three_ times, Uncle Steve; once at the top of the stairs, once at the bottom of the stairs, and just now. Why?"

"Why did I kiss your Aunt Sam or why did I kiss her three times?"

"I know why you kissed her, Silly, 'cause you love her. Why did you kiss her three times?"

"Because I love her very, very, very much."

"Oh. . . Do you think Aunt Sam liked her pancakes?"

"She ate them, didn't she?"

"People sometimes do things they don't like to do, Uncle Steve."

(For just a moment, Steve is totally nonplussed by Grace's very adult comment. Sending his niece a somewhat surprised glance, Steve has to take a few seconds to think of a suitable response.)

"Well, your Aunt Sam was smiling and laughing all during breakfast, Gracie, and she didn't make any faces, so, yeah, I think she probably liked her pancakes."

"Okay. . . Besides, Aunt Sam doesn't make scary faces like you do."

"You think I make scary faces?"

"Sometimes, but your faces don't scare me. Danno says they really scare bad guys, though, so that's a good thing."

(Again, Steve shoots Grace a somewhat startled look. They've just about reached Libby's and Mike's house and Steve doesn't know whether to be relieved or not.)

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yes, Gracie?"

"Can I come spend the night with you and Aunt Sam again soon?"

"Of course, you can, Gracie. Aunt Sam and I love to have you spend the night at our house. We love you."

(Steve has parked in the driveway and both Libby and Mike start walking toward his truck reaching it just as he lifts Grace out and sets her down on their driveway. Grace doesn't rush to hug her grandparents as she usually does, but takes Steve's hand and tugs until he kneels down so they're closer to eye level. Libby and Mike, puzzled, don't say a word.)

"Uncle Steve, is Aunt Sam still sad about the baby she lost?"

(Stunned doesn't even come close to what Steve is feeling and he exchanges a look with his in-laws; all three of the adults knowing that Steve is going to have to tread very carefully here.)

"How do you know about the baby, Gracie?"

"I overheard Mom and Danno talking about it when they thought I was asleep. Mom was crying and said, although she was Aunt Sam's sister, there wasn't anything she could do to make her feel better after she lost the baby. How do Mommies lose their babies, Uncle Steve?"

(Now, Steve feels like he's been punched in the gut, and is very thankful for his mother-in-law's comforting and steadying hand on his shoulder although he never breaks eye contact with Gracie. Taking both of her little hands in his, Steve takes a deep breath and prays for the right words.)

"First of all, Gracie, you know that your Aunt Sam loves you very much, don't you?"

"Um hmmm."

"You know that I love you very much, too, right?"

"Um hmmm."

"Our baby was inside Aunt Sam's tummy, like little Eric is inside Kono's tummy, only our baby was really, really tiny. So tiny that Aunt Sam and I didn't even know the baby was there. Do you remember when Aunt Sam and Tony got hurt?"

"I remember."

"Well, when Aunt Sam got hurt, the baby got hurt, too. The doctors tried very hard, but they couldn't help the baby the way they helped Aunt Sam, so our baby went to live in Heaven. When things like that happen, people call it 'losing' a baby. Honey, your Aunt Sam would never, ever lose a baby or any other child, including you, on purpose."

(Grace is very quiet for a moment while she digests everything Steve has just said, but finally throws her little arms around his neck and gives him a seriously big hug. Steve hugs her back and neither Libby nor Mike miss the moisture in his eyes.)

"I know she wouldn't, Uncle Steve. I was just wondering if she was still sad and if I could make her feel better."

"She is sad about the baby sometimes, Sweetheart, but, hopefully, your Aunt Sam and I will have another baby, and you're already making her feel better by just being you."

"Okay. I love you, Uncle Steve."

"I love you, too, Gracie."


	74. Chapter 74

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: June 30, 2011**

(Mike, being the only one of the three adults who can still speak at the moment, tells Gracie to go on in the house and she'll find one of her favorite movies already in the DVD player. Giving Steve another quick kiss on the cheek and a sweet smile, Grace hurries to do as her grandfather asked. Steve slowly comes to his feet and Libby is right there with one arm around him while she wipes her eyes with her other hand. Mike has to clear his throat a couple of times, but the commanding officer in him demands that he pull himself together, and he, too, places his hand on his son-in-law's shoulder.)

"You handled that well, Son. At least, as well as you could."

"Yes, you did, Steve. . . Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Libby, I'm fine.

"You are not fine, Steve. Come in the house."

"I'm good, Libby, really."

"No, Steve, you're not. Come in the house, Son."

But Steve takes one step toward the house and that's it. Damn if it didn't take little Gracie to break through all the barriers he'd put up and cut to the heart of the matter; ever since Sam lost the baby, he's been so busy trying to be there for her, be strong for her, that he hasn't really and truly grieved himself. Tears start sliding down his face, no matter how hard he tries to stop them, and he finds himself enfolded in _both_ his in-laws arms. Not one of the three of them says a word for a few moments because Steve can't and Libby and Mike know that he needs to grieve. Finally, Steve's training and, frankly, his pride kicks in and he forces himself to get a grip. Libby opens her mouth to tell him that it's perfectly all right for him express his pain, but Mike, being a SEAL himself and knowing how difficult it was for Steve to even show this much emotion, sends her a warning look over the top of Steve's bowed head. A few moments later, Steve straightens up to his full height and swipes at his eyes with the back of his hand.)

"Sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry for _feeling_, Son, and don't ever, for one second, think you have to keep your feelings to yourself."

"And don't be afraid to share your feelings with Sam, Steve. I know you want to be there for her, be strong for her, but she needs to be there for you, too. I tried to keep my pain from Libby when she suffered the first miscarriage, and I soon learned that I was actually hurting her _more_ than she already was by doing so."

"Yeah, Mike, I get that, but you'd think that after all these months, it wouldn't hurt so damned bad."

"Son, it's been _years_ since Libby and I lost those four babies, and it _still_ hurts; sometimes, very deeply. The thing you have to remember, Steve, is that you and Sam can try again; that the two of you will have other children. Watching the two of you with Grace, I have no doubt that you'll be wonderful parents one day. Remember, you do not have to go through this alone."

(Grace, concern written all over her sweet little face, comes out on the porch and looks anxiously at her uncle and grandparents.)

"Are you okay, Uncle Steve?"

"Yeah, Gracie, I'm fine. I was just talking with Libby and Mike for a minute before I went to work."

"Okay. You just look really sad. Would one of my hugs and kisses help?"

(And Steve, a real smile on his handsome face, knows that Grace Williams has him very tightly wrapped around her little finger; she just doesn't know it yet. Or, maybe she does.)

"One of your hugs and kisses would help a lot, Gracie."

(Chin is already at the office when Kono and Danny arrive and he's standing at the smart table with a perplexed expression on his face. He has pulled up the information the computer technicians from H.P.D. pulled off Joel Thorne's personal computer and is studying it carefully.)

"Why so serious, Cuz?"

"I'm just trying to figure out why Joel Thorne would go to the trouble to put so many security protocols on his personal computer's hard drive if there was nothing incriminating on there."

"Maybe there _was_ something incriminating on there and he removed it before we got out hands on it, Chin."

"No, Danny, even if Thorne had erased files, the techs should still have been able to recover the data from the hard drive."

"Okay, so, let's look again. Is this everything they pulled off his computer?"

"Yeah. Whatever he was trying to keep hidden is right here in front of us. We just have to figure out what it is."

"Send the financial data to my desktop, Cuz, and I'll see if I can find anything we may have missed."

"Yeah, okay, Kono, and Danny and I can look over everything else."

(Entering a few commands on the keypad, Chin sends all the financial information found on Thorne's computer to Kono's desktop in her office and he and Danny split the rest of the files between the two of them and start digging. The three are still working quietly when Steve gets to the office and asks them what they're doing. Danny and Chin are in the middle of explaining what's going on when Kono, moving surprisingly quickly for a woman who is nearly eight months pregnant, hurries out of her office and joins the three men at the smart table; excitement on her face.)

"I think I've found something, guys."

"Let's hear it."

"Okay, I didn't find anything unusual in Thorne's financial records but a letter from a law firm in Baltimore, Keating, Ketchum, and Moore, kept catching my eye, so I did some research. This is a very exclusive firm; they handle only A-list clients. Joel Thorne makes a pretty good yearly salary as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, but it's not nearly enough to cover the fees charged by Keating, Ketchum, and Moore. The letter we found on Thorne's computer was signed by an attorney by the name of Blake Moore, one of the partners in the firm, so I ran financials and a background check on him. Steve . . You're so not going to believe who this guy is."


	75. Chapter 75

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 1, 2011**

"Who is he, Kono?"

(And when she tells him, Steve feels like he's been punched in the gut for the second time in less than two hours. It's all starting to fall into place now.  
>Steve knows exactly who went to JAG and checked into Sam's service record and he now knows why. What they have to do now is find evidence to tie Joel Thorne to Blake Moore and they'll have the final piece of the puzzle. After asking Danny, Kono, and Chin to dig and dig deeply into Blake Moore's connection to Joel Thorne in an effort to try and find the evidence they need, Steve walks into his office and stands by the window, arms crossed over his chest, staring out at nothing in particular. Danny follows him and stands just inside the door with his hands in his pockets.)<p>

"How the Hell am I going to tell her?"

"I honestly don't know what to tell you, Steve, but you're going to have to tell her, and you need to do it now."

"This is going to rip her heart out, Danny."

"Yeah, it is. That's why you need to get to her as soon as you can, Steve."

"She's flying this morning and they're not due back at Pearl for another . . Hour and a half. I'm going to call Adm. Henderson and bring him up to speed. Call Libby and Mike and get them to meet us at the base, and Danny? I know they still have Grace, but. . . "

"Say no more, this is one time Grace may have to spend a couple of hours with Rosa; Libby and Mike need to be at the base."

(Chin sticks his head in the door to Steve's office.)

"We found the connection, Steve. Joel Thorne and Blake Moore went to the same high school and played football together; they've kept in touch."

"All right, Danny and I are heading to the base; you and Kono keep digging. I want Blake Moore as much, if not more, as I want Joel Thorne; neither of those bastards is going to hurt Sam ever again!"

"Go take care of your wife, Brah, we'll call you when we get what you need."

(The fierce, dark frown on Steve's face is way more prominent that Danny, Kono, or Chin have ever seen it, but the three of them are very angry, too. They all knew Joel Thorne was a complete waste of flesh, blood, and tissue, but they didn't know just how despicable he was until Kono unearthed the information about Blake Moore. Once they're on their way to the base, Danny does his best to come up with something positive to say to Steve, but, given what they've just learned, he's having a very difficult time. . . .

Once they reach the base, they head straight for Adm. Henderson's office and find that Libby and Mike are already there. Libby has been crying and Mike looks like he wants to tear someone apart with his bare hands. Adm. Henderson appears grim and there is a note of anger in his voice when he invites Steve and Danny into his office.)

"Come in, Gentlemen. . We have about forty-five minutes before Cmdr. McGarrett's squadron with be landing, and I've issued orders for her, Senior Chief Evans, and Lt. Atkins to report to my office immediately. I've also had my secretary notify Lt. Cmdr. Thorne that I want him in my office in an hour, and we will also be joined by Lt. Cmdr. Brown from JAG, the two officers from San Diego, and Ens. Cooper. This has gone on long enough and stops here; it stops now."

"Yes, Sir, it does. Blake Moore and Joel Thorne have done enough damage. I assume Lt. Cmdr. Thorne will be taken into custody and placed in the Brig."

"He will, Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett, and Blake Moore's fate will be left to your discretion. I'm sure you have something most unpleasant in mind for him."

"Yes, Adm. Henderson, I do. The Governor's already spoken with the U.S. Attorney General. Blake Moore can and will be arrested by the F.B.I. and brought to Hawaii to be tried on conspiracy charges and whatever else we can charge him with, and you may rest assured that I will be at the airport to personally escort Mr. Moore to the Federal Detention Facility."

(As soon as Sam's squadron lands, Senior Chief Evans wastes no time in relaying the Admiral's orders to Sam and Lt. Atkins. The grim expression on the man's face tells Sam all she needs to know; the trap they set for Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne is about to be sprung. Once Sam, Senior Chief Evans, and Lt. Atkins reach the Admiral's office, his secretary redirects them to the larger conference room just down the hall. When they enter the room, Sam is startled to see her parents sitting at the table next to Steve and Danny. She had expected to see Thorne, the JAG officer, the two officers from San Diego, Ens. Cooper and Marine security personnel. She was also fairly certain that Steve, and maybe Danny, would be present as representatives of Five-0, but she has absolutely no clue why her mother and father are sitting in the room or why her mother appears to have been crying and her father looks angry. Steve sends her a look that is pure love and Sam's gut clenches as she realizes that she's about to be hit with something totally unexpected and, most likely, something that's going to be exceedingly painful for her. Doing her best to maintain her professionalism, Sam takes a seat at the conference table between Steve and her father, is extremely grateful when Steve's large, warm hand finds hers under the table and he threads his fingers through hers as he gives her a look of encouragement.)


	76. Chapter 76

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 1, 2011**

(Once Sam, Senior Chief Evans, and Lt. Atkins are all seated, Adm. Henderson looks around the room at the assembled group of people and takes his time in beginning the meeting. As his glance pauses briefly on Sam, he wholeheartedly wishes he could spare her from what she's about to discover, but he cannot so, taking a deep breath, he opens the meeting.)

"Before we get to the primary reason for this meeting, I think some introductions are in order."

"Begging your pardon, Admiral, but I believe we all know one another."

"In that, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, you are grievously mistaken. You all know Lt. Cmdr. Brown from JAG; these gentlemen," (and he indicates the two officers from San Diego N.A.S.), "are, in fact, Lt. Sanders and Ens. Rogers and they are experts in computer systems and currently stationed at San Diego N.A.S. They are also attorneys attached to JAG. This," (and he indicates Ens. Tina Cooper), "is Lt. Tara Conners, also a JAG attorney."

(Joel Thorne pales considerably at this bit of information and Libby, Mike, Danny, and one other person in the room look surprised. Steve notices Sam's gaze drift to the fourth person, sees the hurt in her eyes, and gives her hand a little squeeze.)

"You've been on our radar, or should I more correctly say, Cmdr. McGarrett's radar for awhile now, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne. She came to me quite some time ago with her suspicions regarding your activities as well as a plan of action to bring those activities to light. After contacting JAG and explaining Cmdr. McGarrett's plan, it was decided that we would set-up a sting operation to 'catch you in the act', so to speak. Lt. Conners volunteered for this assignment after we discovered your predilection for blue-eyed brunettes. Thank God the Lieutenant was not forced to compromise herself in order to gather the evidence needed to charge you, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne. Every, single conversation you've had with the Lieutenant was recorded; we have documented evidence of your telling Lt. Conners to alter data in the simulation computer so as to make it appear Cmdr. McGarrett was falsifying official reports."

(Thorne is not quite pale, indeed, and he realizes that he's in serious trouble. However, he still believes he has an ace in the hole, so he doesn't alter his expression or body language one bit. What he does do is cast an angry glare in Sam's direction, but she is looking at Adm. Henderson and doesn't waste the energy to even turn her eyes in Thorne's direction.)

"We also have written documentation, in the form of the notes you wrote to 'Ens. Cooper', detailing exactly how you wanted the computer data altered. Not only is Lt. Conners prepared to swear under oath that she witnessed you writing these notes, but a handwriting analysis has already been conducted and the handwriting on the notes matches the handwriting on your official reports to a tee. You are aware, are you not Lt. Cmdr. Thorne, that altering data in a Department of Defense computer may be construed as an act of treason against the United States government?"

"Admiral, I assure you, Sir, that I have not done anything that could be construed as treasonous."

"That is yet to be determined, Lt. Cmdr. Thorne. What you have done is make life a living Hell for the personnel on this base and attempt to discredit a good officer! As to that, we are also aware of the fact that you are friends with an attorney in Baltimore; an attorney who made an inquiry to JAG Headquarters regarding Cmdr. McGarrett's service record. What you've done is beyond despicable and I fully intend to do everything in my power to see that you are punished to the fullest extent of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice! As to your friend, he's been arrested by the F.B.I. and is being extradited to Hawaii to face federal charges in this case."

(With these words, Adm. Henderson has effectively shot Thorne's last hope to Hell, and Thorne jumps up out of his chair; pure fury on his face and in his voice as he points a finger at Sam.)

"You bitch! This is all your fault! You want everyone to think you're so damned good and noble! The only reason you got the promotion and position here as CAG is because you're a woman and the Navy wanted to make it look like they weren't discriminating against women."

(Steve, Danny, Mike, and Senior Chief Evans all have murderous looks in their eyes and the only thing keeping Steve in his chair after Thorne's vicious attack on Sam is Sam's restraining hand on his arm. The two burly Marine guards quickly move directly behind Thorne, and one of them none-too-gently shoves him back down in his chair, but the stupid, _stupid_ man just can't take a hint.)

"Go ahead, try to Court Martial me. My friend won't be in custody long, and when he's free, he'll defend both of us and win! Blake Moore is one of the best attorneys in the country; you're the ones who are going to end up on the losing end of this!"

(At the mention of the name, Blake Moore, all the color drains from Sam's face and she literally looks like she's about to faint. So much so that Steve's arm is around her before anyone can blink and she leans heavily on her husband as tears rush to her eyes. Libby and Mike both look absolutely stricken and, not giving a damn whether the Admiral likes it of not, Libby gets up and rushes around her husband to get to her daughter. Senior Chief Evans looks physically sick and wishes he could get Joel Thorne alone for five minutes. Lt. Atkins, looking very confused, asks a question.)

"Excuse me, Admiral, but who is Blake Moore?"

(But it is Sam who, having caught her breath and once again sitting straight in her chair without any support from either her husband, her father, or her mother, answers the Lieutenant's question through her tears as she looks straight at Lt. Atkins.)

"Blake Moore is the man who killed my biological parents, Lieutenant, but you already knew that. You're the one who contacted him on Lt. Cmdr. Thorne's behalf and asked him to make the inquiry about my service record."

"Wh . . What? Commander, why would you think that? I'm you XO for God's sake!"

"Hawaii Five-0 ran a check of Lt. Cmdr. Thorne's cellular phone records and found a surprising number of calls to your cellular phone, Lieutenant. They then questioned different personnel here a the base who had filed complaints with me about the fact that Lt. Cmdr. Thorne wasn't in his office when he was supposed to be for scheduled meetings and, when he was located, he was elsewhere on the base _on his cellular phone_. It was a simple matter to match up the times of the calls to your number with the times he was absent from his office."

"That . . That doesn't prove anything! Lt. Cmdr. Thorne and I are friends, we play golf together, socialize. . I never made any phone calls to any law firm; in Baltimore or anywhere else!"

(And now Steve takes over, his voice shaking with fury.)

"No, but your _wife_ did. And after examining the incoming calls records of the law firm, calls were placed from your wife's cellular phone to the law firm within minutes of you speaking with Lt. Cmdr. Thorne." (Steve glances casually at his watch.) "H.P.D. should be arresting her right about now."

(Lt. Atkins, looking frightened beyond words, slumps back in his seat as Lt. Cmdr. Brown, the JAG officer, stands up and nods to the two Marines.)

"Lt. Micah Atkins, you are under arrest on charges of treason against the government of the United States, conspiracy to commit treason, collusion, and unlawful use of government equipment and/or property for personal gain. And there may be additional charges added. Lt. Cmdr. Joel Thorne, you are under arrest on charges of treason against the government of the United States, conspiracy to commit treason, collusion, unlawful use of government equipment and/or property for personal gain, and sharing classified data with persons not authorized to have access to such material with possible additional charges to be added. Sergeant, please be so kind as to escort Lt. Atkins and Lt. Cmdr. Thorne to the Brig."

(No one says a word or moves a muscle as the two, white-faced men are escorted from the room, and after they and all the JAG officers leave, it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The full impact of what was just revealed has finally started to sink in with Sam and she is shaking like a leaf. It is more than obvious to everyone still in the room that she is exercising every ounce of inner strength to maintain control, and, as much as both Libby and Mike want to put their arms around their child and comfort her, they know, as does Steve, that there will be time enough for that later. What Sam needs right now, is to be able to conduct herself in a professional manner as an officer in the United States Navy.)


	77. Chapter 77

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 1, 2011**

(Compassion written all over his face, Adm. Henderson turns his gaze to Sam.)

"I am so sorry you had to find out that the man responsible for your biological parents' deaths was in collusion with Lt. Cmdr. Thorne this way, Commander, but there simply wasn't time to brief you before this meeting and Lt. Cmdr. Brown was insistent that we get both Thorne and Lt. Atkins in custody as soon as possible."

"There's no need to apologize, Sir, I completely understand. To be honest, I've wanted Thorne in custody for quite some time. _I _would like to apologize to you, Admiral. I should have exercised better judgment in selecting an Executive Officer to replace Lt. Cmdr. Monroe."

"Lt. Atkins was a promising young officer, Commander. At the time you appointed him as your XO, he certainly had the potential to be an asset to your squadron. Unfortunately, he allowed himself to be lured into Thorne's web of deceit. And while we may never know his motivation, I can only surmise that he thought he could advance his career at a more rapid pace if he aligned himself with Thorne. . . I also want you all to know that Cmdr. McGarrett was fully aware of the identities of the JAG personnel involved in this investigation from the very beginning, but was under orders not to disclose her knowledge or involvement. I regret having had to ask this of the Commander, but I did not want to risk either Lt. Cmdr. Thorne or Lt. Atkins learning they were under investigation until we had the evidence we needed to charge them. You should know that Cmdr. McGarrett came to me several days ago and asked my permission to disclose her involvement in this investigation to Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett and I could tell that she wanted to read all of you in, as well. Admiral, Mrs. Thrasher, you've raised a very honorable daughter, and, as I told Cmdr. McGarrett, I'm proud to have her serve in my command. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have some business to take care regarding Lt. Cmdr. Thorne and Lt. Atkins."

(Henderson quietly exits the room leaving Sam, Steve, Danny, Libby, Mike, and Senior Chief Evans alone. Realizing that perhaps his C.O. would like some time with her family, Senior Chief Evans gets up from his seat, walks over to the chair in which Sam is sitting, and balances on his feet so that he is eye level with her. No, this isn't exactly proper protocol, but, just like Libby, Evans doesn't particularly give a damn about protocol at the moment; he's worried about his C.O.)

"Commander, . . Ma'am, I know you've had something of a shock this afternoon, but I just want you to know that I've never served with a finer officer and I'm very proud to be in your command."

(The Senior Chief's words and tone are very sincere and they touch Sam deeply. Tears threaten again, but she takes a deep breath and even manages a small smile for Evans.)

"Thank you, Senior Chief, I appreciate that and I appreciate your loyalty. I can always count on you."

"Yes, Ma'am, you can. With your permission, Commander, I have some birds on the flight line I need to take care of, including yours."

"Indeed, you do. Dismissed. And, . . Thank you."

"No problem, Ma'am."

(As soon as Evans is out the door and it closes behind him, Sam stands up and, squaring her shoulders both physically and mentally, looks at her husband, parents, and brother-in-law directly. Some of the color has returned to her face and Steve gives her a loving smile of encouragement. Libby, however, is still in worried mother mode.)

"Sam, Sweetheart, are you all right? What am I saying? Of course, you're not all right."

"Mom, I'm okay or, at least, I will be; I just need a little time. Right now, I need to go have a talk with my sister. You guys aren't the only ones I withheld information from and, although I was under orders, Caroline and I . . Well, we've never kept things from each other before."

"She's a naval officer, too, Sam, she'll understand. Why don't you and Steve come over to the house for dinner tonight? Caroline and Danny, too. You probably want a little time with Steve after you talk to Caroline, but, later, you're going to need your family."

"Sounds good, Dad. Think we can get Gracie over there, too?"

"You bet we can, Sam, let me just call Rachel."

"Thanks, Danny. Steve, could you wait for me in my office, please? Unless you have to go back to the office for something."

"No, Sam, Steven absolutely does not have to go back to the office for anything. He will be in your office when you're through talking to Caroline."

"Thanks, again, Danny."

"I'll be there, Beautiful. Take as long as you need to with Caroline."

"Okay, Sailor. I love you. . . I love all of you."

(Steve drops a quick kiss on Sam's mouth and she rewards him with a smile in return and slips out the conference room door. Steve still has a small smile on his face when he turns back toward his in-laws and Danny, and he sees that, while Libby's still worried, Mike's on the same page as he is, and even Libby smiles at Steve's next words.)

"That's my girl."

"No, Son, that's _our_ girl. Libby, I just invited the children over for dinner. Do we have anything to feed them?"

"Well, gee, Mike, now that you mention it. . . NO!"

"Well, gee, Libby, I guess we need to get our sixes over to the Commissary and get something. What would you boys like for dinner?"

"Whatever's easy for Libby."

"Oh, don't worry about me, Danny. Mike issued the invitation; Mike's the one doing the cooking."

"Well, in that case. . "

"Never mind, Son, Libby and I will figure something out. We'll see you boys a little later."

(Caroline is at her desk typing her report on the day's exercised into her desktop when Sam knocks on her office door. One look at Sam's face and Caroline instantly stops what she's doing and comes around her desk to embrace her sister.)

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Sit down, Caroline, I have a lot to tell you and some of it's not going to be easy for me so, bear with me, okay?"

"Okay."


	78. Chapter 78

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 2, 2011**

(By the time Sam finishes explaining everything to her sister, Caroline is royally pissed off at Joel Thorne and absolutely livid with Lt. Atkins and, true to form, her first reaction is to march straight over to the Brig and give both of them a piece of her mind; she even wants to head down to H.P.D. and tear into Sara Atkins. And _then_ she reminds Sam about the way Sara Atkins was practically drooling over Steve at Lt. Cmdr. Monroe's promotion ceremony, and _Sam_ is ready to go down to H.P.D. with her! The two young women actually get into a "see who can call Sara Atkins the worst name" contest and do so in a back-and-forth, rapid fire manner until they both start laughing. And that's how Steve and Danny find their wives when they step into Caroline's office; giggling like teenage girls. Steve sends his sister-in-law a grateful glance as Danny brings Caroline up to speed on their dinner plans. Twenty minutes later, Sam is sitting in the passenger seat of her Porsche with her head against the headrest and her eyes closed as Steve drives them home. Although neither of them says a word, the looks they exchange every so often are enough. Once they get home, Steve follows Sam upstairs and into their bedroom as he has a feeling that, now that they're completely alone, the dam is about to break. Sam tosses her briefcase and cover on one of the chairs in the sitting area and starts to head into the bathroom, but Steve grabs her hand and drops a kiss onto the back of it. That one, simple, whisper-soft touch is all it takes. The rigid control Sam has been maintaining over her emotions since learning of Blake Moore's involvement with Thorne slips and she dissolves into tears. Steve's heart breaks as his arms instantly go around Sam and pull her close. He knew this was coming; frankly, he's damned surprised it's taken her this long to fall apart, but her heart-wrenching sobs of raw pain are nearly his undoing. He eases her onto their bed and holds her tightly while she gets it out of her system; round one, anyway. A while later, Sam lifts her head from Steve's chest and looks up into his beautiful eyes.)

"Tell me how Thorne is connected to Blake Moore. I know Adm. Henderson said they were friends, but how?"

"They went to high school together, Sam, were on the same football team. They stayed in touch over the years. It's a safe bet that it was Moore who Thorne went to see when he was in Washington."

"I can't believe I didn't put it together sooner. I mean, when you told me about the calls from Sara Atkins' cellular phone to a law firm in Baltimore, I should have figured it out."

"Baby, there was no way you could have known Thorne and Moore knew each other. I wish there had been time to tell you about Moore before you walked into that conference room this afternoon. Springing it on you like that was. . . "

"It's okay, Steve. Finding out about Blake Moore was going to hurt me no matter what. The only good thing to come out of all this besides getting rid of Thorne, is the fact the man who killed my parents and got off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist is finally going to be punished; maybe not for killing my parents, but at least he _will_ spend some time behind bars."

"A lot of it, Beautiful, if the Attorney General gets his way, and I'm pretty sure he will; so will Thorne and Atkins." 

"I can't believe I was so completely wrong about Atkins."

"He's young and ambitious, Sam, and his wife was pushing him to get ahead. I talked to Chin while you were talking to Caroline. Turns out that Thorne and Sara Atkins were having an affair and she asked him if he could do anything to help her husband out, help him get an early promotion. Thorne told her he could if he were the CAG, they started talking, and she's the one who volunteered to contact Blake Moore and set things up with him. She'd apparently been jealous of you for a long time, but when you appointed her husband as your XO, it sent her over the edge. When Atkins found out what she was up to, she convinced him it was the only way for him to get on the fast track with the Navy and he went along with it; especially when Thorne guaranteed him he'd be a Lieutenant Commander inside of six months once your were gone and Thorne took your place."

"Atkins probably _could_ have made Lieutenant Commander in six months or so if he'd just done his job and not gotten mixed up with Thorne. His service record was excellent up until this happened, he was well-liked by everyone in the squadron, and he had really good leadership skills. Now, he's going to be dishonorably discharged from the Navy and will spend time in prison. . . Why didn't I see what was happening with Atkins?"

"Sam, this is not your fault. You gave both Thorne and Atkins every possible opportunity to succeed in their careers with the Navy. _They_ are the ones who made bad choices. _They_ are the ones who broke the law."

"I know that, Steve, but I can't help but wonder if I missed something; if there wasn't something more I could have done to prevent this from happening."

"No, Sam, there isn't. You did everything you possibly could. I know you're upset because not just one, but two officers under your command broke several federal laws and violated God only knows how many articles of the UCMJ, but you can't do this to yourself, Sweetheart. It's over, Sam, and we got the bad guys."

"I am so thankful that you're in my life, Steve, I couldn't have gotten through this without you. I love you more than . . Damn, I can't find the right words to tell you how much I love you."

"I think you just did, Sam. I love you, too."


	79. Chapter 79

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 3, 2011**

**A/N: I tried to load the last chapter for the better part of seven hours yesterday but something was wrong with the site. Sorry for the delay in posting. Michelle**

(Caroline, Danny, and Grace are already at Libby's and Mike's when Sam and Steve get there and Grace must have been watching for them because she runs out the door and has her little arms wrapped around Sam as soon as Sam gets out of the car.)

"Are you okay, Aunt Sam? Mom and Danno said you'd had a really bad day."

"I'm good, Gracie; much better now that you've given me one your amazing hugs."

"I have something else to make you feel better, too, but you have to wait until after dinner, and Grandma says it's going to be a little while before we eat. Hi, Uncle Steve."

"Hello, Gracie, how's one of my two best girls?"

"I'm happy, Uncle Steve, 'cause I get to see you and Aunt Sam twice today."

(Steve picks Gracie up and shifts her so that he can hold her in one arm and slide the other around Sam's slender waist and the three go inside. Libby and Caroline are in the kitchen working on side dishes and desserts, and Mike and Danny are outside on the back deck where Mike is getting the grill ready.)

"What can I do to help, Mom?"

"Not a thing, Sam. Caroline and I have everything under control in here. Why don't you three go out onto the deck and keep your father and Danny company?"

"Are you sure, Mom?"

"Positive, Sam, go."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Anything I can do, Libby?"

"No, Steve, thank you. You three go make yourselves comfortable."

(Sam and Steve, still carrying Grace, head outside to the deck where Sam and Gracie sit on the comfortable outdoor sofa and Steve heads to the bar to get Sam a glass of white wine and a beer for himself. Mike and Danny seem to have things under control with the grill, and Danny sits in one of the chairs grouped with the sofa to talk with Sam and Grace while Steve walks over to join Mike after handing Sam her wine.)

"Sam looks much better than she did this afternoon."

"She is better, Mike, but she still has a ways to go before she's going to be completely over this."

"She fall apart on you once you two got home?"

"Yeah, but she needed to; needed to get it out."

"That's not going to happen overnight, Son. Sam's always been her own worst critic; she's going to go over everything in her head again and again over the several weeks and she's going to second-guess every decision she made."

"She already is, Mike. Don't worry, I'm not going to let her go there."

"I'm sure you won't, Steve, but I think I'll have a little talk with her myself. The steaks are marinating in the refrigerator, Son, and you know how everybody likes their steak cooked. My daughter and I are going to take a walk on the beach."

(And turning the grilling duties over to Steve, Mike manages to get Sam away from Grace and father and daughter head down the stairs from the Thrasher's back deck to the beach. Grace heads in side to see what her Mom and Grandma are doing and Danny walks over to the grill where he and Steve watch Sam and Mike walk down the beach; each with one arm around the other.)

"Sam's taking this really hard, isn't she?"

"Yeah, Danny, she is. She knew Thorne was trying to cause problems for her, but Atkins' betrayal really hurt her; cut her to the core."

"I'll bet. You know she's going to be okay, though, right? I mean, Sam's a strong person, and she's smart, too. It may take some time, but she'll get through this."

"Yeah, she will. Okay, how about we head inside and see if Libby's ready for us to put the steaks on the grill?"

(Sam and Mike walk along the beach for several minutes without speaking and Sam feels a rush of love for her father. She knows that he is worried about her but he loves and respects her enough to realize that she will talk to him about the situation with Thorne and Atkins when she's ready. For the time being, he just wants her to know that he's there for her if and when she needs him. When they have walked quite some distance from the Thrasher's beach house, Sam stops and turns to look up into her father's older, but still handsome, face.)

"Are we going to have this little talk as 'Adm. Thrasher' and 'Cmdr. McGarrett' or as father and daughter?"

"What do you think, Sam?"

"I _know_ that I love you very much, Dad, and that I'm very lucky to have you and Mom."

"We're pretty lucky to have you, too, Sweetheart, and, for the record, our little talk is between father and daughter."

"Yeah, I knew that. . . I can't believe I was so damned wrong about Atkins, Dad. I mean, I reviewed the service record of every, single pilot in my squadron to find the best candidate to replace Lt. Cmdr. Monroe, and I kept coming back to Atkins. Guess I should have dug a little deeper, huh?"

"There was no possible way you could have known about Atkins or his overly ambitious wife, Sam. You made your decision to appoint Atkins as your XO based on the information available to you. To be honest, I would have done the very same thing, and, Sam, _do not_ let this situation make you second-guess your decisions in the future."

"I won't, Dad, but you can bet your six that I'm going to be looking a little deeper for my next XO! . . . Do you know that Sara Atkins had the unmitigated gall to _ogle _Steve at Lt. Cmdr. Monroe's promotion ceremony? For a second there, I thought I was going to have to set her straight as to exactly _whose_ husband he was! I mean, I asked Steve to be there because, well, in the past, the wives of the officers in my command have always been a little . . . Put off until they got to know me, so I thought I'd head things off at the pass and let Sara Atkins know up front that she had absolutely nothing to worry about. And then the woman stood there at the reception after the ceremony and actually had the nerve to look at my husband like she wanted jump him right then and there!"

"You have nothing to worry about, Sweetheart. Steve McGarrett worships the ground you walk on, the man's no fool, and he loves you very much."

(So caught up in her righteous indignation is she that Sam misses the small smile on her father's face as he puts an arm around her shoulders and kisses the top of her head before turning them back toward the house. Mike Thrasher knows that, yes, although it will take some time, his daughter will most definitely be fine since she's more than capable of exhibiting her jealousy at the moment. . . .

After they finish dinner and have cleaned up, everyone goes outside to sit on the back deck and enjoy the beautiful night. After whispering something to her Grandpa and receiving his also whispered reply, Grace disappears into the house only to return a few minutes later and walk over to Sam with both hands behind her back.)

"Aunt Sam?"

"Yes, Nugget?"

"I don't know exactly what happened today, but Grandma said you were really upset and Danno said you deserved a medal, and, well, Grandpa helped me make you one."

(And so saying, Grace pulls a medal that says "Best Aunt In The Whole World" and which is made of heavy construction paper from behind her back and presents it to Sam. Grace's artistic endeavors have produced a huge medal with an American Eagle on it and two navy blue ribbons with the words in gold running the length of the ribbons. Grace and Mike both look pretty pleased with themselves, Libby, Caroline, Danny, and Steve all have smiles on their faces, and Sam. . . Sam looks from the "medal" to her niece and tears fill her eyes as she very carefully takes the medal from Grace, hands it just as carefully to Steve, and pulls Grace's little body close for a tight hug. )

"Why are you crying, Aunt Sam? I didn't mean to make you cry; I wanted to make you happy 'cause I love you!"

"You did make me happy, Gracie. That's the best medal I've ever had, and I love you, too, Nugget."


	80. Chapter 80

**CHAPTER EIGHTY**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: July 7, 2011**

(On Friday night before Lana's and Chin's wedding, the rehearsal dinner is held at La Mer as Michael Grayton's wedding present to Lana and Chin, and the food is delicious, the decorations are beautiful, and Lana and Chin couldn't be any happier. Steve, grinning like a mad man at Chin's expression when Sam, Caroline, and Kono rush Lana away from the party at ten to midnight, steps in front of the door the ladies departed from and crosses his arms over his chest when Chin takes a couple of steps to follow them.)

"Sorry, Chin, it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride after midnight and before you see her at the altar tomorrow."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope, I'm not."

(And little Grace, surprisingly alert for the lateness of the hour, joins her Uncle Steve at the door and assumes the very same pose as him, her expression very serious.)

"It's bad luck, Uncle Chin."

"Grace, it's okay really, all I want to do is talk to your Aunt Lana and tell her good night."

"Un unh, Uncle Chin, you want to get all 'mushy'. Can't fool me."

(Danny, Tony, and even Libby and Mike start choking, coughing and snorting in an effort to hide their laughter at the picture before them. Steve and Grace, in identical poses with identical expressions of amused consternation on their faces, are standing in front of the door blocking Chin from leaving. For his part, Chin has an expression on his face that is incredulous. The "stand-off", and Grace's serious determination are extremely amusing.)

"I'm not trying to fool you, Grace. I just want to tell Lana good night."

"I'm very disappointed in you, Uncle Chin. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to fool me."

"Isn't it past your bed time, Grace?"

"I have special permission to stay up late like I did when Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve got married."

"And, if I remember correctly, Chin, you prevented me from going into the room where Gracie shoved Sam to talk to her that night. Fair is fair."

(Chin, knowing he's well and truly caught, looks pleadingly at Libby in a silent appeal for her intervention.)

"Come on, Libby, help me out here."

"Sorry, dear, but my granddaughter is absolutely right, as is Steve. You simply cannot see Lana again until Mike escorts her down the aisle tomorrow."

"I absolutely _hate_ it when things come back to bite me in the butt!"

"Now you know how _I_ felt!"

(In deference to Kono's advanced state of pregnancy, the girl's only sleepover is being held at the Montgomery's house so Kono can sleep in her own bed and be as comfortable as possible. Tony is spending the night at the McGarrett's so the ladies can have the house all to themselves. The girls are having the same problem with Lana that the others had with Chin, and she's fretful.)

"I really didn't get to tell Chin good night."

"Yes, you did. In fact, Chin got a much better good night kiss than I gave Danny or Sam gave Steve or Kono gave Tony."

"But, I really think I should call him and ask him to stop by just long enough to _really_ say good night properly."

"Nope. Not gonna' happen."

"Why ever not, Sam?"

"Because, Lana, if we let you call Chin and let him come over here for a 'proper' good night, he won't want to leave and then we'll have to call Steve and Danny and Tony to come over here and 'persuade' him to leave and it could get really ugly. I mean, one grown man being all whinny is bad enough, but four of them?"

"Good God, no! That is most definitely _not_ going to happen! It would probably be enough to send me into early labor and then where would we be? You and Chin would be getting married at the hospital trying to say your wedding vows between my contractions."

"And Steve and Danny would be doing their damnedest to keep poor Tony from passing out on the spot."

"And Caroline and I would be doing our damnedest to keep Steve and Danny from doing the same thing. No, Lana, you absolutely cannot call Chin and ask him to come over here."

(But, by now, all four of the young women are laughing outright at the ridiculousness of the situation they just described as each of them pictures it in her mind's eye. Wiping her eyes and catching her breath, Lana finally caves.)

"All right, I will not call him! Good grief, I can just hear the hospital administrator telling me I'm fired because of all the chaos!"

"And can you all imagine Gracie in the middle of all this? Knowing her, she'd be fussing at all of us, including Kono, and would then be telling little Eric what a crazy, messed up family he'd been born into."

(And, when Danny arrives a few minutes later to drop off Grace, he finds all four young women sitting in the Montgomery's great room laughing so hard they're all wiping away tears and he's torn between wanting to know what's so funny and wanting to get out of there as quickly as he can. Grace, on the other hand, is thoroughly delighted that she has walked into what appears to be a really good "spend the night party" and hurriedly kisses her father and shoos him out the door. Once he's standing outside the Montgomery's house, Danny takes a moment to try and figure out what just happened. However, realizing that, at the moment, there are five nearly hysterical females, one who is very pregnant, and only one male, him, in the near vicinity, he decides to do what any intelligent man would and hightails it to the McGarrett's.)


	81. Chapter 81

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE**

**Title: "Forever and Always: For Eternity"**

**Author: Michelle Heath**

**Summary: Story #6 in the Salvation, Forever and Always Series. The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Lana Palea and Chin Ho Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately! All original characters are the sole property of the author!**

**Date Written: August 3, 2011**

(The weather is as close to perfect as it gets for Lana's and Chin's wedding and the ladies thoroughly enjoy spending the morning getting their hair and nails done and then having a leisurely brunch before heading out to the resort that's the site of the outdoor wedding. Lana and Chin have chosen to have a mostly traditional wedding ceremony with some elements of a traditional Hawaiian wedding added. The multi-colored orchid-covered altar stands near the edge of a large area of lush green lawn facing the ocean and there are just enough palm trees to provide cooling shade yet not so many that the view is obscured. Chin, Tony, Steve, and Danny are all wearing single-button black tuxedos with white dress shirts, and black silk Windsor ties, and black dress shoes and they all look exceptionally handsome. As for the ladies, their dresses are not identical, but similar in style to complement each other. Caroline's dress is a pale green, Sam's is a pale yellow, and Kono's is a pale pink. Lana's dress is a beautiful gown with a sheer lace jacket over a white satin bodice and flowing skirt with seed pearls. All four of the ladies are wearing their hair up and Kono, Sam, and Caroline each have a live orchid pinned into their updo. Lana is wearing a wreath of multi-colored live orchids in her hair and looks absolutely radiant. Libby Thrasher is seated in the place of honor reserved for the mother of the Bride and Mike Thrasher walks Lana down the aisle. Lana and Chin stand inside a "circle of love" which is a circle of live flowers, and they exchange traditional leis as well as rings during the ceremony. The minister finally pronounces them husband and wife, and Chin kisses his bride amid thunderous applause. . .

The reception is in full swing with champagne flowing from a beautiful silver fountain, Hors D'oeuvres of all varieties fill several tables, and spectacular Bride's and Groom's cakes sit on their own tables flanking the champagne fountain. Lana and Chin are strolling about and speaking with their guests while most everyone else, with the exception of Kono and Tony, are on the dance floor that has been set-up. Mike takes the opportunity to dance with each of his daughters and Steve and Danny dance with their mother-in-law, as well. Of course, Tony, Steve, Danny, and Mike also make sure they get to dance with Lana, and Kono, Sam, Caroline, and Libby get their turn with Chin. The wedding was beautiful and the reception is magical with dancing and laughter going on well into the late-afternoon. Soon enough, however, it's time for the Bride and Groom to leave if they're going to make their flight to the mainland, so they both change and laughingly make their way to Lana's new Jeep amid showers of birdseed and shouts of good wishes. Kono and Tony, who are taking them to the airport, slip away right after Lana and Chin, and Libby and Mike head to the marina for their romantic getaway. Sam, Steve, Caroline, Danny, and Grace head home to change clothes and then they all head over to Kono's and Tony's to get started on dinner since they've all agreed to do pretty much everything at the Montgomery's house until after the baby is born so that Kono will be more comfortable. By the time Kono and Tony get back to their house, The McGarrett's and The Williams' have dinner well underway and Kono nearly groans out loud when she sees them all "dressed down" in jeans and tee shirts. She and Tony waste no time in getting changed into more comfortable clothing and it isn't long before they all sit down to dinner. The conversation is, of course, mainly about the wedding and Grace keeps things lively. They have just finished cleaning up from dinner and are all in the den trying to decide what movie they have on DVD that would be suitable for Grace when Tony's cellular phone rings. He steps into the kitchen to answer the phone and Kono immediately stops what she's doing and watches her husband as everyone else continues to discuss the DVDs. Steve is the first to notice Kono watching Tony and he moves a little closer to her when he sees the look on her face. Sam finally notices and she, too, moves to stand closer to Kono. As soon as Tony ends the call and turns around, Kono _knows_. The look on his face says it all and Steve and Sam catch on, too. Wordlessly, Kono walks into the kitchen, takes Tony's hand and gives him a small smile as they walk back toward their bedroom so she can help him get his gear while Sam moves closer to Steve.)

"I'm starting to wish Mom and Dad weren't out on the boat."

"She'll be fine, Sam. We've got this."

"Yeah, I hope we do."

"Hey, where'd Kono and Tony go?"

"Tony just got called out on an op, Danny."

"Damn."

(By now, Caroline has figured out what's going on and Grace, bless her heart, realizes that something's going on that has all the adults upset. Tony comes out of their bedroom carrying a duffel bag with one hand and holding Kono's hand with the other. There isn't a lot to say because he already knows that Kono will be taken care of while he's gone and he knows Steve is holding his letter for Kono if he doesn't make it back. Steve and Danny shake his hand, Sam and Caroline give him quick hugs and encouraging smiles, and Grace, who has figured out what's happening, looks up at Tony very seriously and promises him that Kono and little Eric will be just fin until he gets back. Bending down, Tony gives Grace a hug and tells her "thank you" before heading outside to his truck with Kono so they can say a somewhat private goodbye. Several minutes later, Kono comes back inside alone and does a good job of holding it together, but Sam, having been right where Kono is many times before, knows she's hurting. As soon as the movie they finally settled on starts, Kono slips out of the den and heads toward the master bedroom. Sam follows her and quietly closes the bedroom door once she has stepped inside so the noise from the television won't disturb them. Kono is sitting on the side of the bed staring at nothing in particular and tears are running down her face. Sam sits down next to her and puts an arm around Kono's slumped shoulders.)

"I'm not going to say something stupid like I know how you're feeling, Kono, because, although there have been a lot of times when Steve's left me just like this, I wasn't pregnant. I just want you to know that I'm here."

"I knew this was going to happen, Sam. All this time without him being called up for an op, and I knew it was going to happen just about the time for the baby to be born."

"Hey, you're not due for another six weeks or so, Kono. Hopefully, Tony will be back long before then."

"How did you stand it, Sam?"

"I kept reminding myself that I wouldn't. . I couldn't let Steve leave for an op with a mental picture of me in tears. I needed to let him go with dry eyes and a smile on my face in case he needed a memory to get him through the op; I wanted it to be a positive one. But, Kono, after Steve would leave, I'd bawl my eyes out until I couldn't cry anymore. If that's what you want to do, Sweetie, feel free."

"You know what? I think I'd really like to back to the den and watch the movie. I think a few of Gracie's hugs and kisses might do me a world of good."

"Sounds like a plan."

(Sam and Kono rejoin Steve, Caroline, Danny, and Grace in the den and Grace settles herself next to Kono on one of the couches. The movie is a comedy and by the time it's over, Kono's doing a darned good job of appearing to be fine. Danny and Caroline head home and Grace gives Kono a hug and kiss as they are leaving. Sam and Steve are getting ready to leave, too, but Sam is hesitant.)

"Do you want us to stay, Kono?"

"I'll be fine, Sam, and, if I do need you guys, you're only three minutes away."

"You sure? 'Cause we don't mine staying, or you can stay at our house if you want."

"Sam, I'm fine, really. It's been a long day and we're all tired. I'm just going to go to bed and get some sleep."

"Okay, but I'm calling to check in with you first thing in the morning."

"Yes, Ma'am."

(Kono is smiling as she waves to Sam and Steve as they are backing out of the driveway, but, once they're gone and she is all alone, her tears start to fall and they don't stop for a very long time.)

**A/N: And so ends this story in the series. I apologize for taking so long to post but I've had some computer issues to deal with lately. Hopefully, I'll be able to post more regularly now. Next up, Baby Montgomery's arrival. Questions is, will Daddy be present when the little guy gets here? Michelle**


End file.
